


Chimera

by ghostsea



Series: Gemini [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Draco Malfoy Angst, Eventual Fred Weasley/OC, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Lives, Fred Weasley fluff, Gryffindor, Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Love Triangles, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Pureblood Politics (Harry Potter), Pureblood Society (Harry Potter), Quidditch World Cup, Slow Burn, Triwizard Tournament, Unhealthy Relationships, Yule Ball (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:09:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 47,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27350998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostsea/pseuds/ghostsea
Summary: Elara Prince was sick of trying to fit in. To the Slytherins she was the Gryffindor blood traitor. To the Gryffindors, the girl who didn’t belong. In her fifth year at Hogwarts she decides it's time for a change. For a start, she wasn’t going to allow Draco Malfoy to toy with her anymore, even though her heart beat incessantly whenever he looked at her.And then there was Fred Weasley who was looking at her differently this year too. But really, what did he know about what was good for her?And who was he to kiss her late that night in the corridor?
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Gemini [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105292
Comments: 69
Kudos: 90





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my new longfic, the first HP one I've written in almost 10 years!
> 
> So this is going to be a self-indulgent story that I'm writing to fill my heart with joy during another lockdown but I do hope you like it too. I usually write huge plans for my stories including detailed notes on each individual chapter but this one is just for fun. It won't be completey freehand as I do have some vague notes and overarching plot ideas but I plan to go with the flow and see where the writing takes me. 
> 
> Be prepared for a Draco/OC/Fred love triangle with a lot of Draco angst and Fred fluff. There will be some questionable decision making, moments of drama and a good strong female friendships. I'm so excited to get stuck in.

**1980**  
  
“Why do I have to come again?”   
  
Cassini Prince raised an eyebrow at her husband, who was trying his best to look at her innocently, as if he didn’t already know the answer to his question.   
  
“Because my best friend has just given birth to their first-born child,” she retorted. “I think it would be very unceremonious of me to show up alone considering how many gifts she and her husband lavished on us when Elara was born.”   
  
Evan stood from the sofa and groaned, earning a small smile of sympathy from her.   
  
“Fine, you’re right. As always,” he said coming towards her and hugging her from behind, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. “But I swear, if Lucius Malfoy makes one more comment about me joining the cause, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”   
  
“His son was just born. I’m sure convincing you to give up Quidditch for the Dark Lord will not be his priority today.”   
  
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Evan muttered. He turned his wife in his arms to face him before brushing a strand of dark hair out of her face. “Cass, I mean it. I know Narcissa is your best friend, but the less time we can spend with the Malfoys the better. Lucius won’t take us not declaring our loyalty to a side in this war for much longer.”   
  
Cassini cast her eyes to the corner of the room where a small, rosy cheeked baby giggled as she looked up at the two of them, throwing a toy dragon from her hand on to the floor. Cassini felt as if her heart was swelling in her chest at the sight of her, drool and all. Her beautiful daughter Elara.   
  
“Well, our bloodline has to count for something,” she said as Evan sighed in defeat. “Let’s just blame your Quidditch career a little longer.”   
  
“We don’t have much longer,” he warned. 

* * *

  
**1982**  
  
Evan looked up from his daughter and the book he was reading to her just in time to see the emerald green flames of the fireplace die, revealing his wife dusting down her coat as she stepped into the sitting room.   
  
“How is she?” he asked.   
  
Cassini gave a sardonic smile as she pulled off her coat. “It’s the Malfoys,” she shrugged. “If a cat has nine lives, they have twelve.”   
  
She threw herself down on to the sofa next to her husband and smiled at her daughter who was sitting on his lap, reaching out to grab her hand playfully. “The Imperius Curse defence worked as you know,” she continued. “Life is largely back to normal for them. There’s already talks of Lucius being invited to join the Board of Governors.”   
  
Evan snorted and shook his head in disbelief. “Imperius Curse my arse.”   
  
“Language,” Cassini chided. She wiggled her finger in her daughters’ hand one more time before turning to her husband. “They’ve invited us round for tea next weekend,” she said offhandedly. “I said we’d go since we don’t need to avoid them so much now that their names are cleared.”   
  
She couldn’t help but laugh alongside Elara’s soft giggles as Evan threw himself back into the sofa dramatically with a loud groan.   


* * *

  
**1989**  
  
“Narcissa insists that the boy goes to Hogwarts but with Dumbledore at the helm I really do wish she would consider Durmstrang some more,” Lucius paused to sip from his teacup before continuing. “My old friend Igor Karkaroff is headmaster there, do you know him? And well, I feel their curriculum is more ah, _traditional_ , in their teachings.”   
  
The Malfoy Manor always looked splendid in the summer. Cassini loved to sit in the grounds with her friend, sipping on champagne or tea, feeling the green grass in between her toes or spotting one of the magnificent white peacocks strutting near the pond. On warm days like this they would all sit together in the humid heat before Cassini and Narcissa would sneak off, claiming they only wanted to give their husbands time to talk about whatever it is that men talk about, when really it was time to themselves they wanted, where they could giggle like schoolgirls, whisper gossip and forget their responsibilities for just a moment in time.   
  
She dared a glance at Evan who was nodding at Lucius, giving a non-committal ‘hmm’ as he was prone to do whenever Lucius discussed these issues, which was most of the time these days. It was enough for Lucius however, who never did seem to notice Evan’s complete lack of interest.   
  
And it wasn’t that they were on completely different pages on these things. All of them had had a very similar upbringing, raised in proud pure-blood households, with noble names and deep roots to their family trees. They had all attended Hogwarts, met in Slytherin and were all now raising families whilst enjoying their wealth and privilege.   
  
But Evan just never really cared much for the fascination over blood status. She supposed it was his Quidditch career that influenced that. In school, girls, classwork and popularity contests were nothing to him, Quidditch was all he cared about. And now as a professional player he travelled widely, met people from all over the world and played with teammates that were now like his extended family. Teammates with all kinds of histories and lineages.   
  
It just wasn’t important to him.   
  
So, Cassini just did what she could to keep the peace. She loved her husband and she loved her best friend. Everything else was meaningless.  
  
Dusk was beginning to fall now, the sky fading from the palest blue to a magnificent pink as the sun threatened to disappear behind the green grass altogether. Evan clapped his hands together. “Right,” he said as he stood. “It’s been wonderful as always, but we really must get Elara back in time for bed.”   
  
Cassini nodded and called for her daughter who grumbled and begged to stay for just five more minutes to play with Draco. After an argument and a flurry of kisses on the cheeks and ‘it was wonderful to catch up’s and the usual cry of ‘we should do this more often’, Cassini, Evan and Elara eventually stepped from their own fireplace into their sitting room.   
  
“Elara, please go brush your teeth and put pyjamas on,” Cassini said to her daughter who stomped away in a huff.   
  
Evan threw himself down on to the nearest settee with a sigh, running his hand through his dark, wiry hair. Cassini smiled at him indulgently before sitting on his lap and placing her arms around his neck.   
  
“I find him utterly exhausting,” he said eventually.   
  
“Oh, come on,” Cassini said, rolling her eyes. “He’s pompous and arrogant but he’s bearable.”   
  
Her smile faltered under the serious look her husband gave her. “You don’t have to listen to it Cass,” he said. “You and Narcissa giggle in a corner whilst I need to listen to his continuous advice on how we should be raising Elara. The values she should have and how we need to be sure she truly understands the importance of blood purity. Like a ten-year old needs to hear that nonsense.”   
  
She sighed and ran her hands consolingly back and forth over his shoulders.   
  
“She goes to school next year,” he said, looking off as he spoke, “and we have completely failed her.”   
  
Cassini stopped and frowned at her husband. “Failed her how? We haven’t taught her any of that _nonsense_ as you call it.”   
  
Evan stood from Cassini, allowing her to drop gently onto the settee as he paced. “No we didn’t, don’t you see? We didn’t tell her about blood status or what it all means, in fact we didn’t bring it up at all. But I bet you Draco Malfoy’s been parroting his father this whole time and filling her head with nonsense he doesn’t even understand. And then there's your parents, I’m sure they love reminding her of her pure-blood status over Sunday lunch.”   
  
“Like your parents are any better,” she said indignantly.   
  
“Exactly. Everyone in her life is probably telling her how important pure-bloods are, and we haven’t been there teaching her how unimportant it is.”   
  
Cassini shook her head. She would never understand why her husband let issues like these bother him so much. The war was over. Muggle-borns, half-bloods and pure-bloods were all integrating now. Opinions on the issue just didn’t matter anymore. If you wanted to keep your family line pure then you could do so. If you didn’t, you were free to find and marry yourself a Muggle for all she cared.   
  
“I just don’t want her to be in school calling her classmates Mudbloods, Cassini,” he stopped pacing and looked at her. “And if she does, I can’t even be angry at her for it, I can only be angry at us.”   
  
Cassini stood, straightening her dress in the process. She’d had enough of this conversation, enough of the dramatics. “For crying out loud Evan, it’s just a word” she said shortly. “There are bigger problems in the world.”   
  
Evan stood with a look of defeat on his face as Cassini strolled from the sitting room, abruptly ending their conversation.   


* * *

  
**1990**  
  
Cassini sat at the breakfast table, her book in hand as she sipped on her coffee. Across from her, her husband munched on a slice of toast as he read from the morning’s Daily Prophet. These silent mornings seemed to be the norm now, especially without Elara twittering and chatting incessantly. Cassini felt her absence like a wilted flower starved of water.   
  
Evan dusted the crumbs of toast from his hands and Cassini winced at the thought of them falling to the floor and table. The house-elf always left a napkin right there by his plate, why didn’t he ever just use it? He rifled through the mornings post before stopping abruptly, his eyes alight.   
  
“It’s a letter from Elara!” he announced. “She’ll be telling us about her first week at Hogwarts.”   
  
Cassini put her book down immediately and looked up as Evan tore the envelope open. “Oh, I do hope she’s settling in ok,” she said.   
  
She watched as Evan’s eyes darted across the page, reading greedily.   
  
“Read it out loud!” she demanded but his face was breaking into a grin before he looked up at her, eyes wide. Suddenly, his hand hit the table and he roared with laughter.   
  
“What?!” she cried impatiently. “What’s so funny?”   
  
“You are not going to believe this!” he laughed. “Oh my God, wait until your father hears.”   
  
“Hears what? Evan, you’re annoying me now!”   
  
He grinned at her. “She’s only gone and been sorted into Gryffindor.”   


* * *

  
**Elara Prince**  
  
Elara remembered the day she was sorted into Gryffindor well, yet she still wasn’t sure how it had happened. She remembered her legs carrying her to the cheering table after the sorting hat had announced to the hall that unmistakable word: ‘Gryffindor!’. And then she remembered sitting there numbly. How was it possible that the sorting hat had made a mistake? They said it never made mistakes but there she was at the Gryffindor table in what was most definitely a big, huge, obvious mistake.   
  
And God, how was she going to tell her family? How was she going to tell Draco? At the thought of Draco she had blanched. She had known even then that this would be the turning point in their relationship.   
  
Her first year at Hogwarts hadn’t been easy on her. Only a few months into the term brought a hastily scribbled letter from her mother. In fact, the writing was messy and lopsided, and the letter itself smelled vaguely of sherry as it announced that her father had left her and from now on, she would have to write to them both separately. A less angry and far more sombre letter had arrived from her father the following day full of apologies and reassuring notes including a ‘both your mother and I still love you very, very much,’ scrawled at the bottom.   
  
It also didn’t take long for her Gryffindor classmates to piece together her long Slytherin heritage, her family names of Prince and Gage being so well known. The fact her father was the famous Wimbourne Wasps beater Evander Prince only slightly helped her case, but then only with those who actually supported the Wasps.   
  
Things were made markedly worse the following year when Draco Malfoy arrived at Hogwarts. He seemed to take her Gryffindor status as a personal slight and she didn’t know which hurt her more; the sneering comments or when he ignored her altogether. She would often watch Draco as he strolled in confidence with his gang of classmates and wonder what her life would have been like if she was in Slytherin too, smiling as she walked alongside him perhaps, completely at ease and totally belonging.   
  
But in reality, her moments with Draco Malfoy happened outside the school during summertime, when her mother would drag her every other week to the Malfoy manor. The anticipation of these visits often filled her with both dread and excitement. Summer’s with Draco were different to school with Draco but she wasn’t dumb enough to say anything that could upset this delicate balance.   
  
Because despite everything, she always felt a pull to him, an incessant need to please him and remind him why they had once been friends for so long. Yet, she always knew he was only entertaining her during these moments because he simply had nothing better to do. She was only there to ease his boredom but it was enough for her.   
  
Sometimes, he could make her forget this when he would laugh and talk with her, tease her playfully, or confide in her his goals and ambitions whilst they lounged in the Malfoy Manor library or dipped their toes in the pond, occasionally sneaking some of Mr Malfoy’s Firewhiskey. Other times he was his usual cruel and unkind self, reminding her strongly of his father, especially on his birthdays which she would be invited to celebrate alongside his Slytherin classmates. Elara would fight and plead with her mother not to go, even one year going as far as to barricade herself in the bedroom, but her mother always won in the end and Elara would be made to endure endless comments and the usual school version of Draco with his sneers and cold laughter.   
  
This year however, would be different. She wouldn’t have to endure his birthday celebrations or the twisted, knotted feeling in her stomach that occurred whenever they were alone and she could barely bring herself to look him in the eyes. This summer, after today, there would be no long, hot days spent with Draco. She had an opportunity now to extricate herself from this mess of heartache and longing, to flee the cage he had so unfeelingly trapped her in.   
  
And so as she stepped from the grand fireplace into Malfoy Manor, she felt for the first time a sense of relief. Narcissa was there to greet both her and her mother with a smile and a hug.   
  
“How are you Elara?” she asked. “Good year at school?”   
  
“Yes Mrs Malfoy,” Elara said dutifully.   
  
“Good. Draco’s out back in the rose garden, he’ll be waiting for you. I told him you were coming.” She smiled sweetly and Elara tried hard to fix her face into what she hoped was an excited smile in return before leaving her mother and Narcissa to go out to meet him.   
  
Her heart pounded at the sight of him as always, and in that moment she hated herself as always. His blond hair practically reflected the sunlight into her eyes as he lounged in a chair, his arm draped over the back of it.   
  
He looked up at the sound of her feet approaching but said nothing, always leaving it to her to fill these awkward silences. She sat wordlessly in the chair next to him as he closed his eyes to the sun with a satisfied sigh. Elara looked out over the grounds, trying her best not to stare at him as he lounged there so self-assuredly, thinking instead on how she was going to break the ice.   
  
“You won’t be seeing much of me this summer,” she said finally.   
  
She stole a glance at him to see him still lounging, still with his eyes closed.   
  
“And why’s that?” he drawled lazily, the way one might respond to a child when feigning interest in their little stories.   
  
“Mother and I are spending our summer in France this year,” she said.   
  
Draco snorted. “You’ll be tearing each other's hair out by day two.”   
  
Elara sighed and sat back in the chair, relaxing slightly. “Probably,” she agreed. “But at least I’ll be able to escape her more if she’s not dragging me to all her social events.”   
  
“What about the Quidditch World Cup?” he asked. “Surely your father won’t let you miss that?”   
  
“No,” she said. “I’ll be back in time for the final.”   
  
Draco sighed before sitting forward, twisting in his seat to look straight at her. She tried hard to hold his gaze, his grey, cold eyes watching her as his mouth twisted into a smile that always seemed to hold some cruelness to her.   
  
“It will be a long summer without you,” he said.   
  
She tried hard not to blush. He always did this; made these little comments, as if throwing her a bone every once in a while, causing her to forget herself and let her guard down. She was better at it now however, recognised his games for what they were after years of suffering and heartbreak at his careless words.   
  
“I’m sure you’ll find plenty of ways to entertain yourself,” she replied coolly.   
  
He grinned. “Yes, but it’s always much more fun to entertain myself with you.”   
  
She rolled her eyes and looked away from him as he stood and chuckled down at her. He reached his hand out and ran his fingers through the ends of her dark, shoulder-length hair, freshly trimmed in time for summer.   
  
“You suit your hair like that by the way,” he said carelessly before strolling away from her into the house.   
  
Elara sighed as she let go of the breath she was holding.


	2. The World Cup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day between updates won't be the norm but I want to get the ball rolling and I think, given the events of the world, we could all do with a little distraction. 
> 
> Let me know what you think :)

“Well France certainly agreed with you.” 

Elara grinned at her friend as they walked side by side through the grassy field. 

“I mean it,” Heather continued. “You have a tan and your hair’s all short. It looks very Parisian.” 

“Thank you,” Elara smiled, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. 

They strolled towards the crowd of witches and wizards already gathered by the water tank, large containers in hand or in some cases, small containers that most certainly had been bewitched to hold gallons of water if needed. Surrounding them were rows and rows of tents, decorated in varying shades of green and a sea of shamrocks. Elara could almost feel the magic reverberate through her very bones at the sight of so many enchantments and witches and wizards all in the one place. Or perhaps it was the electricity of the atmosphere she could feel. 

“What about the boys?” Heather asked, winking as they took their place behind a harried looking woman who had at least ten large empty jugs resting by her feet. 

“Ugh,” Elara said, rolling her eyes. “If I ever see a French boy again, it’ll be too soon.” 

“What? Oh, come off it!” 

“Seriously! They’re all so arrogant and pompous, they’re a nightmare.” 

“Well, well Prince!” came a voice from behind. They both turned to see the Weasley twins, Fred and George coming towards them, a look of mischievous cheer evident on both of their faces. 

“I don’t think generalising a whole country of men is the most appropriate thing to do given your current location,” Fred chided her. She could always tell them apart by the most subtle of differences. Fred’s eyes seemed to turn up more at the corners, lifting his face cheerfully. 

“Exactly,” George agreed. “Here we are trying to promote international cooperation and there you are badmouthing a whole country!” 

“Although,” Fred interjected thoughtfully, “I suppose you have been spoiled being surrounded by Englishmen your whole life. It’s understandable that our French brothers couldn’t quite meet the standards set by us.” 

“God, I hope by ‘us’ you don’t mean you personally?” Elara scoffed. 

Fred grinned. “You obviously just haven’t gotten to know me well enough.” 

Elara shook her head as Heather laughed. 

“Here with your dad?” George asked. 

Elara nodded in response. “Yeah, he’s wandering around somewhere, probably babysitting Ludo Bagman.” 

“We just saw Ludo, he’s a pretty excitable bloke, isn’t he?” 

Elara made to answer but was interrupted by the twin's names being called from nearby. 

“Ah there’s Lee,” George said. “Sorry ladies, we’ll have to go. We’ve got some business issues to discuss.” 

“Business? At the Quidditch World Cup?” Heather asked sceptically. 

“Hey, first rule of business,” Fred said walking from them, “stay out of ours.” 

Elara groaned and Heather rolled her eyes as George and Fred walked away sniggering to themselves. It was strange to see them outside of school. Given that the twins were in the year above them, they didn’t tend to really talk much bar the odd small talk here and there. But, she supposed, when you’re at an event like this, with an atmosphere this excitable, everyone can become your friend even if it’s only for a day. 

“Surprised to see a Weasley here,” Elara commented. “Tickets were a bit expensive were they not?” 

“Elara!” Heather scolded. “Don’t be so judgmental.” 

She flushed. “No, I didn’t mean-” but stopped suddenly at the look on her friend’s face. 

Little moments like these happened every now and then, when Elara would speak, and hear only her mother’s voice come from her lips, ugly and arrogant in her words. It seemed a compulsion she couldn’t always control and she hated herself for it every time. Her face red, Elara felt that recognisable rush of shame. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled. 

* * *

“Dad, how far up are we?” 

Elara’s father had been in a mood of pure childish joy since the moment they had set off for the Quidditch World Cup. Trying to walk through the campsite with him was a slow, arduous process given that he seemed to know everyone and was keen to discuss the finer tactical points of the whole season with each of them. Trying to get him to climb the steps in the stadium without stopping for a chat had been about as easy as forcing a child to leave a sweet shop. 

“I thought your dad might have got us good seats, given the fact he works in the Department for Magical Games and Sports,” Heather mumbled earning a nudge in the ribs from Elara. 

“I did get good seats,” her dad grinned, stopping cheerfully at a viewing box overlooking the whole stadium and perfectly situated between the two golden goalposts. Inside was filled with purple chairs and a well-to-do looking crowd of witches and wizards. 

“We’re in the top box?” Elara gasped. 

Her dad only nodded in return, beaming widely at them. 

“Holy sh-” 

“Language Elara!” 

Elara and Heather couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces as they entered after Mr Prince, too excited for words. 

“Ah, Evander, there you are.” 

Elara felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been plunged into her stomach at the steady voice that spoke to her father. She recognised the voice immediately and her heart hammered. If Lucius Malfoy was here then so was his son. Sure enough, standing beside Mr Malfoy was Narcissa and Draco, both tall and haughty looking and seeming completely at ease with their surroundings. Seeing him standing there filled her with that recognisable sense of dread and excitement. How familiar a feeling to her now. 

It was times like these that Elara had to respect and admire her father. She knew fine well that he didn’t particularly like Lucius Malfoy, but his upbringing and charm concealed it well as he smiled widely, striding forward to shake his hand. Elara reluctantly made her way forward too; it was only proper that she follow her dad’s example. Heather, however, remained behind, her face burning scarlet under her brown freckles. 

And suddenly Elara could see why. There, sitting in a row, every eye on them, was what looked to be the whole Weasley family alongside Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Now Draco’s smug look made sense. 

“Elara, how lovely to see you. How was France?” 

A Gryffindor on first name terms with Narcissa Malfoy, in front of enough Gryffindors to ensure every single person back at school was able to hear of it. Elara didn’t want to even think about how her fifth year at Hogwarts was going to go after this revelation. 

“It was wonderful Mrs Malfoy,” she replied. She caught Draco’s eye then and knew she’d never hear the end of it if word got back to her mother that she didn’t acknowledge him. “Hi Draco,” she added quietly, hoping no one else would hear. He smirked in response. She wondered vaguely if everyone in the top box would be able to feel the heat emanating from her face. 

Thankfully she was saved by the loud and cheerful arrival of Ludo Bagman. 

“Evan!” he practically shouted at the sight of her father. “And Elara! How wonderful!” 

He threw his arm around Elara’s shoulder and steered her so she had a vantage point looking over the whole stadium filled with hundreds of thousands of witches and wizards. “Isn’t this just incredible? What an experience for you and your friends! Are you excited?” 

Mr Bagman was a close friend of her fathers and Elara knew better to indulge him. “Of course, Mr Bagman.” 

“Then let’s get started!” he said, smiling widely as Elara hurriedly made her way to her seat, distinctly avoiding the eyes of her fellow housemates but hearing Ron cry out ‘Ow!’ as Hermione elbowed him hard to stop him from staring. 

How had she not realised that Draco Malfoy would also be in the top box? It was so blatantly obvious. The thought of him mingling with the average witch or wizard during such an esteemed event was too absurd, of course he would be here. But what were the chances that the Weasley’s would be too? Even seeing the twins earlier had surprised her. These tickets were notoriously hard to come by, as well as expensive. It was no secret that the Weasley family weren’t exactly prosperous yet here was their whole family. She wondered vaguely if the addition of Harry Potter was anything to do with it before hearing Heather’s voice in her head telling her to stop being so judgmental. 

Ludo’s voice suddenly echoed boomingly throughout the stadium as he stood with his wand pointed at his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen... welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup. Let the game begin!” 

* * *

Having a former Quidditch player for a father definitely had its perks, like prime seats to the World Cup final for example. Listening to him talk through every pass, tactic and foul for hours after the game had finished however, wasn’t one of them. 

Sure, at first Elara and Heather had probably encouraged him, so excited and in awe of what they had just seen they couldn’t help themselves. But now, as Heather’s eyes drooped and Elara sat at the table staring into space with her mouth hanging open and her head in her hand, the fun had definitely worn off. 

Yet despite the late hour it seemed her father wasn’t the only one too excited to sleep. Judging by the noises outside their tent the party certainly hadn’t ended just yet. Typical Irish, she thought. She was really longing for bed, surely the Irish and her dad would have to give up soon. 

Finally, her dad stopped talking and Elara allowed herself a moment of hope. It seemed he had finally tired himself out. She sat up and yawned and was halfway through stretching when she paused, her eyes fixed on her dad’s face. The cheer and excitement was gone, replaced by a dark look of fear and foreboding. Without another word, he ran out the mouth of the tent. 

“Dad?” Elara said, running to follow him. 

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart hammered at the sight that greeted her. The Irish certainly weren’t partying anymore. What she thought were the noises of fireworks before were actually small explosions and bangs from curses, the cheers actually screams. 

Her father turned to face her, his face grave. “We must keep Heather safe, Elara,” he said seriously. 

Elara understood immediately. The group marching towards them, masked and cloaked in black with a terrified family of Muggles enchanted to hang above them were undoubtedly Death Eaters. Heather, being a Muggle-born, was no longer safe. 

Heather had barely stepped out of the tent when Mr Prince commanded them both to run. With her wand held in her hand, and her dad and Heather running alongside her, the three of them pelted through the crowd towards the forest up ahead. It was no easy task. Crowds of terrified witches and wizards jostled them. Mr Prince had grabbed hold of Heathers arm tightly, pulling her through the crowd, easily parting them with his strong shoulders but Elara was struggling to keep up with them. Her slight frame couldn’t always get through the crowd and the gaps her father created disappeared quickly. In no time at all she had completely lost sight of them, but she plunged on ahead, knowing her dad was aiming for the safety of the trees. 

Finally, she emerged, staring around her frantically as hordes of witches and wizards disappeared into the forest. 

“Dad!” she yelled before cursing. How many other scared children were yelling the same word into the forest, she wondered. It was pointless.

Breathing deeply as she dashed onwards, Elara peered through the dark woods, looking for any sign of her father or her best friend and trying hard to ignore the steady beat of her heart. She didn’t have to go far when she spotted the flash of that familiar blond hair. She tried to tell herself that she hadn’t also been looking for him as she stopped suddenly in front of Draco who smiled at her. 

“What a perfect evening, don’t you think?” His smooth, calm voice seemed chilling amidst the screams and cries of the campsite. 

“You’re sick,” she replied. 

“See, you might have been able to just relax and enjoy the show if you didn’t insist on extending your friendship to Mudbloods, Elara,” he said matter-of-factly. “Father spotted her straight away by the way. I do hope she’s somewhere safe?” 

Elara said nothing in response, trying to keep her face impassive. Her dad would be with Heather and everything would be ok, she knew that. 

“You could stay here with me if you like, the two of us would be quite safe together.” 

She felt useless as words failed her again. Her hand was still gripping her wand and her breathing shallowed as he chuckled and took a step towards her. Even here, amidst the terror, she could feel her own internal fear clawing at her, sticking in her throat at the sight of him moving closer to her, almost close enough to touch. The hold he had always had over her, so enduring and unforgiving, rooted her to the spot. 

“Come on Elara,” he said, his voice low. A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of her name on his lips. “It would almost be like a date. A romantic spot, don’t you think? In the forest under the moonlight, watching the world burn.” 

His pale features seemed to illuminate with each bang and explosion, his lips upturned in a mocking smile. 

She shook her head, finally finding her voice. "Yes and I’m sure your schoolmates would love to hear about you going on dates with Gryffindor’s that befriend Muggle-borns.” 

“It could be our little secret,” he said quietly holding his hand out to her. 

Elara hated him, she knew that to be true. She hated the way he made her feel; childish and eager and disgusted all at once. There was a part of her, sick and unhealthy, that wanted to reach out and take his hand, that felt that it was what she deserved. But she knew she could never give in to that part, that this was all a game to him. That if she took his hand there was no guarantee he wouldn’t only laugh at her in response. 

Voices were approaching now as Draco’s hand hung between them. 

“Just calm down Ginny, the others will be with dad, I’m sure of it.” 

Suddenly, through the trees emerged Fred, George and Ginny with another stocky red-haired boy that was also surely another Weasley brother. They all stopped dead at the sight of her and Draco as he hastily lowered his hand. 

“Everything ok?” Ginny asked. 

Draco opened his mouth to retort and Elara knew that whatever he was going to say would only escalate an already bad situation. 

“It’s fine,” she said hastily. She could see both the twins eyeing her suspiciously and she tried not to look them in the eye. 

“Hey, you’re Evander Prince’s daughter,” the other Weasley boy said, his weather-beaten face looking at her kindly. “I saw your father not two minutes ago, he’s back through there looking for you.” 

Elara quickly turned on her heel, shouting a thank you over her shoulder as she sped into the forest in the direction he had pointed, hoping to leave her shame and sadness back there with Draco. Thankfully, she missed the dark looks exchanged by the Weasley twins as they watched her go. 

“Elara, thank God.” Mr Prince ran forward and grabbed Elara into a hug. 

“Are you ok?” Elara asked Heather who looked pale and wild-eyed as she stood rubbing her arm where Mr Prince had pulled her. She only nodded in response. 

“We need to leave now,” Elara’s father said. “It won’t do us any good to remain here and get caught up in any of this. Heather, you can stay with Elara and her mother and I’ll take you back to your parents tomorrow using the Floo network as planned.” 

Elara wasn’t sure if Heather was really listening to her father as he ushered the two of them to follow him to find a safe spot to apparate from. As they walked Elara looked at her father and wondered if Heather had understood what he meant when he said it wouldn’t do them good to be caught up in this. 

It certainly wouldn’t be prudent for a pure-blood family, with a history of involvement in blood purity movements and a well-known friendship with the Malfoys, to be seen at a Muggle baiting event. Elara hoped that Heather had missed the implication. 


	3. The Snake in Lions Clothing

Elara thought that the events of the Quidditch World Cup would be the talk of the school for the whole year, so scandalous yet exciting in their scope. On her first day back however, Professor Dumbledore challenged that theory with the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament. She sat at the Gryffindor table with Heather by her side and Nathan Bird, another fifth year Gryffindor sitting across from her, when the announcement was made causing all three of them to gape at one another. 

“Hey Prince,” Fred called to her from further down the table. “Just what you wanted, more French boys!” 

“What is he talking about?” Nathan asked as Fred and George laughed and Elara pulled a face at them. 

“Nothing,” she replied. 

The whole school was abuzz with the news for days and when you threw in the appointment of Mad-Eye Moody as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher then really, as far as school gossip went, it was a stellar way to start the term. The whole atmosphere of the school seemed practically giddy and teachers were at their wits end trying to bring some order to proceedings. If Elara thought that these events would overshadow the revelation of her apparent closeness with the Malfoys however, she was soon proven sadly mistaken. The Hogwarts gossip mill was a well-oiled machine and unbeknownst to her, her name had been whispered up and down the corridors of the school, the part of her life she tried so hard to hide laid bare for all to dissect. 

* * *

Elara waved goodbye to Nathan and Heather as she left her final class of the day, Transfiguration, to return to the Gryffindor Common Room. She was just going to pick up some books before meeting Heather in the library since their workload was already so overwhelmingly immense, when someone fell into step beside her. The blond hair and lazy walk was unmistakeable as she turned to see Draco Malfoy. 

He looked at her as they walked, hands in his pockets and one corner of his mouth tugged up in a smile as his grey eyes landed on her face. Elara quickly looked around her to see some of the other students hastily glance away. Hadn’t Draco noticed this? He always preferred to pretend he didn’t know her at school, never before had he walked with her down a corridor. 

“What are you doing?” she hissed. 

“Just walking Elara, what does it look like?” he said calmly, a mocking tone to his words. 

She could feel a wild panic rise in her chest. She was waiting for the penny to drop, for there to be some punch line or trap and his ulterior motive to be revealed. 

“Aren’t you worried what people will think?” 

He shrugged, “Not anymore. I mean, it seems our family's closeness is now common knowledge, doesn’t it? I’ve heard it whispered all over the school. And since everyone now thinks you’re a snake in lions clothing then well, what harm could being seen with you possibly do to me?” 

She inwardly sighed and continued walking, quickening her pace and hoping he would give up.   
  
“Besides,” he continued. “I’ve been thinking about our meeting in the forest a lot since the World Cup.” He leaned towards her and lowered his voice. “On top of that, like I said, this new haircut really does suit you.” 

She blushed well and truly then and gritted her teeth. 

Flattery was a new tactic from him and its effects were profound. She was used to his name-calling, his cruel laughter at her misfortunes and even his silence, as if she didn’t exist at all. But to pay her a compliment, to walk alongside her in front of others, to look at her the way he was looking at her now. She felt a tug in her stomach and tried hard to breathe normal. To others it might have seemed like nothing more than a normal compliment, but to her it was a new layer to his cruelty. 

Then, Elara’s heart sank. Up ahead she could see the unmistakable green of the Slytherin uniform as several of his classmates stood laughing and talking together. Elara thought this would be where Draco slinked off, but he didn’t, he kept on walking, still watching the effects of his words on her face. 

It was Pansy Parkinson that noticed them first, so obsessed with Draco she could spot his blond hair from miles away, perhaps the only thing she and Elara had in common, Elara thought painfully. Her pug face rounded on them as her dark eyes narrowed. 

“Draco Malfoy,” she said in astonishment as they approached. The other Slytherins turned to look as Elara kept her head down, hoping she could get away from them quickly. “Why on Earth are you talking to that blood traitor?” 

“I was just complimenting her new haircut,” Draco said, smiling slyly. 

Pansy snorted. “She looks like an upturned mop if you ask me.” 

The other Slytherins laughed as Draco left Elara’s side and stood with them, laughing along with Pansy’s joke. 

“Well, no one did ask you Pansy,” Elara snapped. 

“Ooh, touchy!” Pansy’s shrill voice taunted. “Why don’t you run off back to the Gryffindor Common Room Prince, although from what I hear you’re about as welcome there as you are here.” 

Elara turned from them and tried to ignore their laughs and comments as she walked. Her heart was racing, the sight of Draco Malfoy plaguing her, standing there back at his usual position, laughing at her with Pansy Parkinson by his side. 

What was he playing at? Why couldn’t he just leave her alone like he usually did? To walk alongside her in the corridor like that whilst making suggestive remarks. It was clearly a new tactic in the games he liked to play with her. 

And it worked, because there she was, feeling childish and hurt and angry all over again. 

Why couldn’t he just release her from the shackles of his power over her? And why did she nervously touch her shorter hair then, secretly pleased at his compliments. 

* * *

“I despise that boy.” Heather gritted her teeth and leaned back in the armchair as both she and Elara sat by the fire in the Gryffindor common room. “And her. She’s so fucking obsessed with Malfoy it’s embarrassing. She acts like she’s his house-elf.” She put on a high, whiny voice and made a simpering face, “Yes master Draco, no master Draco.” 

Elara smiled gratefully at her friend, having just divulged her encounter with the Slytherins earlier that day. 

“And what on Earth is Malfoy playing at?” Heather added. “Life was simpler when he pretended not to know you. If this is how he thinks this year is going to go, he’s got another thing coming.” 

Elara shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s growing up?” 

“Him, grow up?" Heather scoffed. "We’ll be seeing Mad-Eye Moody in a dress before we see that.” 

Elara laughed before rubbing her eyes. It was getting late and she was tired but she still had so much homework to finish before tomorrow. She looked at all the books laid out on the coffee table in front of her and sighed. 

Heather looked at her sympathetically. “If you start letting Malfoy affect your schoolwork, I’m gonna be pissed Elara,” she said. “Especially during your O.W.L’s. That blond slimeball is truly not worth it.” 

“I know, I know,” Elara conceded. “He just caught me off guard is all. I just can’t concentrate.” 

“Why do you even care? It’s just Malfoy.” 

Elara avoided her friend’s eye then as she began packing up her books into her bag. She couldn’t tell Heather the effect Draco had on her. Sure, Heather knew about their secret summer’s together, but she didn’t know that Elara didn’t always hate her visits to Malfoy manor, that a part of her actually looked forward to them. And how could she tell Heather how her heart beat whenever Draco looked at her? How his grey eyes plagued her dreams and his touch felt like an electric shock through her veins. 

“I don’t know,” she shrugged instead. “Like you said, it’s just Malfoy.” 

“Exactly.” Heather stretched before standing up. “I’m heading to bed. Look, borrow this book, it has a good Wiggentree diagram in it.” 

Elara thanked her and bade her goodnight before settling into the sofa with the book, examining the page Heather showed her. Concentration had not been her friend that day and was made even more difficult now by the hushed whispers of Fred and George who were sitting somewhere out of sight behind her. She tried hard to ignore them, her eyes fixed on the page in front of her when she heard her name mentioned. 

“Just ask Elara, she might know,” one of them whispered in agitation. 

“You ask her.” 

“Why should I ask her? You ask her.” 

“Ask me what?” she called over her shoulder, her eyes still fixed on the book in her hand. 

A moment of silence passed in which she could picture them both stare at the back of her head. 

“You can hear us?” one of them asked. 

“What? Of course I can hear you, you dummy, you’re right behind me.” 

“Didn’t you cast the Muffliato charm?!” she heard George ask Fred. 

“No, I thought you did.” 

“No, I specifically told you to do it, you idiot.” 

“You’re the idi-” 

“You’re both idiots!” Elara cried in frustration, interrupting their tiff. 

Again, she heard a moment of silence before the sounds of scraping chairs greeted her ears as both the Weasley twins vacated their place at the small desk they sat at and landed with a soft flump on the sofa on either side of her. 

“What?” she asked, feeling both of their eyes fixed on her. 

“Well,” George started delicately, “we couldn’t help but notice at the Quidditch World Cup that you seem to have a few connections to some important people.” 

“Some more shocking than others,” Fred added pointedly. From the corner of her eye she could see George throw him a warning look. 

“And we just wondered how well you might know Ludo Bagman?” 

Elara kept her eye on the page in front of her, trying to commit to memory the labels pointing to the various parts of the Wiggentree. “I’d say fairly well,” she answered. “He’s my godfather.” 

“Ludo Bagman is your godfather?!” Fred asked in amazement. 

“Yes,” she shrugged. “My dad and him were beaters together for the Wasps. You two are beaters, you understand how close that can make two people.” 

“Yes,” George deadpanned. “The fact that Fred and I are beaters together is why we’re so close.” 

“Wouldn’t even know him really if it wasn’t for that,” Fred added. 

Elara rolled her eyes. “This really isn’t convincing me to help you.” 

“Good point,” Fred said. “Continue George.” 

“Well, we just wondered if you might know where Ludo Bagman might be these days. How one might get hold of him?” 

Elara narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “I’m sure he’ll be working, he’s got a lot going on, hasn’t he? First the World Cup and now the Tournament. Just write to him, that’s probably the best way to reach him I’d guess.” 

“We tried that,” Fred said. “He’s not responding. Maybe you know of another way we can talk to him?” 

Elara closed her book finally and turned to look at Fred, sitting to her right. He was looking back at her, his face fixed into a look of mild interest, but she could sense an urgency to their request. 

“Why on Earth are you two trying to reach Ludo Bagman so desperately?” she asked, keeping her eyes fixed on him as he attempted to stare back defiantly. 

“Well, that part isn’t really important,” George said from the other side of her. 

“It is if you want my help,” she replied turning to face him now. 

“Its business related,” he said simply. 

Elara’s eyes widened as she looked at him in astonishment. Of course, she thought, it all made sense now. Suddenly she couldn’t help it as she burst out laughing and leaned forward, her hand hitting her knee as she cracked up. 

“You two truly are idiots!” she admonished between laughs. “You placed a bet with Ludo Bagman, didn’t you?” 

The two of them were looking between her and each other uncomfortably causing Elara to laugh again. “Oh God,” she said, throwing her book on to the coffee table, this was turning out to be a far more interesting conversation than she had anticipated. “Please tell me you didn’t bet a lot of money.” 

“Just our entire life savings,” Fred grumbled miserably. 

Elara stopped laughing then. She sighed before moving from the sofa to sit on the coffee table in front of them, facing the twins who looked back at her hopelessly. 

“Look,” she said, suddenly feeling a little guilty about laughing at their misfortune. “Ludo is in a lot of financial trouble. From what I hear he really is in quite a bit of debt.” 

“So, he owes money to a lot of people,” Fred shrugged defiantly. “That’s not our problem. The fact is he owes money to us and he needs to pay us back fair and square.” 

“No, you don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s not that he owes money to a lot of people, it’s more he owes money to a lot of _creatures_.” 

“Please tell me you mean house-elves.” 

Elara gave them both a sympathetic look before replying. “Goblins.” 

Fred groaned as George threw himself back into the sofa. 

“We’re screwed,” Fred said, rubbing a hand over his face. 

Elara looked between the two of them, the usual cheer and mischief from their faces gone, a dejected, almost pitying look there instead. Reluctantly, she found herself begin to feel a little sorry for them, even if it was their own fault. 

She sighed loudly. “Look, let me speak to him.” 

Both their eyes snapped to her, a look of eagerness on Fred’s face. “You’ll help?” 

“I’ll try,” she said sternly. “He’ll be at Hogwarts soon for the Tournament, right? Maybe I can arrange to meet him in Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer, he won’t be able to refuse his goddaughter. Then I can slip into conversation that I’m aware he owes money to some people I know. See if that helps encourage him to pay you back.” 

“Some people you know?” George repeated, a mock look of shock on his face. “And here I thought we were friends.” 

“Best friends if you can sort this for us,” Fred added earnestly. 

“Yeah, well, let’s not get out the friendship bracelets just yet,” she warned. “I’ll do what I can.” 

“You're an angel sent from above, Prince,” Fred sighed, relaxing slightly. 

“Yeah, if there’s anything we can do for you, let us know. I mean we don’t quite have famous ex-Quidditch players for family members, but my dad does have a lot of Muggle plugs if that interests you.” 

“What’s a plug? Actually, no. I don’t want to know,” she said as Fred opened his mouth to explain. She looked between the two of them however, a thought forming in her head and wondered whether she dared to speak it. 

“There is actually something you could do for me,” she said, her words tumbling from her mouth before the idea had fully formed. Both of them looked at her apprehensively and she could see a shadow of anticipation cross Fred’s face. 

“Well,” she continued, steeling herself, “let’s just say, if one of your Ton-Tongue Toffee’s or whatever they’re called, managed to find its way into Pansy Parkinsons food, then I think I'd be extra persuading in my conversation with my godfather.” 

The twins both grinned at her devilishly. 

“Well, well, well, Miss Prince,” Fred smirked. “That sounds like a deal where everyone’s a winner if you ask me.” 

George nodded vehemently.   
  
“Now, in this revenge plot, are we looking to hurt or embarrass said victim?” 

Elara thought for a moment. “Well, as much as she would deserve the pain, I do try operate with benevolence so embarrassment will do.” 

“Understood.” 

“Leave it to us.” George said. 

Fred grinned at her. “You will not be disappointed.” 

* * *

Elara lay in bed later that night, staring at the roof of her canopy bed as the sounds of her dorm mates light snoring filled the room gently. Her thoughts seemed to only want to replay the moments of her day on repeat, the events seeming like they could have belonged to someone else, so far from her usual reality. 

Of course, she thought of Draco as she lay there. Him accosting her in the corridor, telling her he couldn’t stop thinking about their meeting in the forest. She hated the thrill of pleasure that ran through her whilst remembering his words. 

She also remembered how cold and chilling he had seemed then at the World Cup, his joy at the suffering of others, and how she too only needed to have taken his hand to have joined him. She knew of the darkness within her that always seemed to lie dormant, rearing its ugly head whenever Draco was near. She was trying to keep it on a tight leash, had been trying her whole life. But there was always that possibility that he could release it with his touch or a whispered word igniting the flame she carried for him. 

And then there were the Weasley twins. The more she thought of their conversation, the more her insides twisted. Because perhaps it wasn’t Draco that brought out her darkness, perhaps it was just who she was. All that talk of being able to convince her godfather at a price, the price of revenge. She had thought the Weasleys had only brought out a mischievous side to her, but was it perhaps more sinister than that? 

Perhaps Draco was right, perhaps she really was the snake in lions clothing. 


	4. Fantasies of Revenge

Elara made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast alone, too impatient and hungry to wait for Heather to finish meticulously applying her eyeliner. Spotting Nathan and his friend Oran Byrne, she made her way to them, throwing her bag down on the bench as she sat down. 

“Morning,” Nathan smiled as Oran grunted in greeting, his eyes fixed on this morning’s paper. “Heather running late?” 

“As always,” she said, pouring herself a coffee. 

She liked Nathan, he was a reliable and solid type. One of the few Gryffindors in her year to have never treated her differently during her years of waxing and waning popularity. Oran was similar, although she thought it more because he just didn’t care. In fact, he never seemed to care much about anything. 

“Big night tonight, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students arriving,” Nathan said excitedly. “How do you think they’ll get here?” 

“They’ll probably just make their way to London and get the Hogwarts Express,” Oran shrugged, still not looking up from his paper. 

“Maybe,” Nathan said unconvinced as he scratched absentmindedly at his dark, thick hair. “I don’t know, I think they’ll be a bit flashier than that.” 

“I wonder where they’ll be sleeping,” Elara said thoughtfully. 

Nathan shrugged as Oran turned the page of his paper and reached for his orange juice. Elara’s eye was caught then however, by the sight of the two Weasley twins sitting further along the table staring intently in front of them. She followed their gaze to the Slytherin table and felt that jolt in her stomach at the sight of Draco Malfoy, a slice of toast in his hand as he spoke to Blaise Zabini across from him. She frowned and looked back at the twins. 

They were definitely staring at the Slytherin table but when she glanced back she realised that they weren’t looking at Draco, but at Pansy Parkinson, who was sitting next to him and listening intently as he spoke, nodding in agreement to his every word. 

“Excuse me,” she said to Nathan and Oran, leaving her bag and half-drank coffee behind as she made her way to where the twins sat. 

She stood in front of them, placing one knee on the bench and leaning her hands against the table. 

“Good morning Elara,” George said. 

“You’re looking splendid as always,” Fred said. “But if you could just move to the left a bit, you’re blocking the view.” 

“Are you doing it today?” she asked eagerly. “Have you given her the toffee?” 

They both looked up at her with looks of shock and bewilderment upon their faces. 

“What do you take us for?” 

“The disrespect,” George said shaking his head. “Don’t you know us better than that? A task the size of your request requires some reconnaissance.” 

She looked at them blankly for a moment. “What?” 

Fred sighed as he looked at her, pushing his red hair from his face. “Elara, in order to carry out a successful prank, it’s important to get in the mind of the victim. Find out their habits.” 

“Like what’s their routine? What do they eat for breakfast every day? Who do they spend the most time with?” George added. 

Elara glanced over her shoulder at the Slytherin table again just in time to catch Draco’s eye as he looked back at her. 

“Right then,” she said, turning around quickly. “I’ll leave you to it then.” 

“Have faith!” Fred called after her as she made her way back to Nathan and Oran, Heather now finally having joined them. 

“What was that about?” Heather asked as Elara sat down again. 

“I’ll tell you later,” she said quietly. 

Oran looked up from his paper and rolled his eyes at them. “What is it with you two and your constant secrets?” 

“You know the mystery is what keeps you coming back to us Oran,” Heather grinned, grabbing a slice of toast from his plate. 

“Yeah,” he said sarcastically. “That’s what it is.” 

“So,” Heather said, biting into her newly acquired toast. “Will you boys be giving up your bed for a nice French maiden tonight?” 

“I won’t give up my bed but I’ll happily share it,” Nathan replied with a sly smile. 

“Yeah, I bet you will.” 

“Like you two wouldn’t do the same for a nice French boy.” 

“Elara won’t,” Heather said, tucking a strand of long brown hair behind her ear. “She’s finished with the French.” 

“What is it with you and French boys?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed. 

“I guess that will just have to be another mystery,” she said, smiling sweetly at him as she picked up her bag and stood from the table. 

* * *

The atmosphere in the castle at the imminent arrival of their foreign guests was really not conducive to learning. The teachers tried their best to keep lessons going on as usual, except Professor Flitwick who had once written a paper on the events of the 1792 Triwizard Tournament and regaled the class with all the gory details. 

Finally, they were all standing outside the castle as dusk began to fall, the pale moon illuminated against the Great Lake. 

“God, I’m bloody freezing,” Heather complained, wrapping her arms around herself and dancing from foot to foot. “I can’t believe I wasted my good lipstick on this.” 

“You haven’t seen the boys yet,” Elara said, shivering herself. “You might not regret it so much then.” 

Elara didn’t realise just how correct she would be. The arrival of the Beauxbatons carriage, pulled by giant horses, and the Durmstrang ghostly ship was one thing. The arrival of Viktor Krum however, was another. Heather was beside herself with excitement, tugging at Elara’s sleeve and gasping at the sight of him. Elara herself wasn’t exactly immune to his fame. Her father had followed Krum’s career from the beginning and she couldn’t wait to write and update him on his sudden attendance at Hogwarts. 

It turned out she didn’t need to. The following morning an owl arrived from her father, excitedly telling her how he already knew Krum would have been arriving for the Tournament and wondering if he’d be allowed to practise Quidditch at Hogwarts. There was still an upcoming season to be played after all. 

Heather laughed as she read the letter over Elara’s shoulder. “What is it with men and Quidditch?” 

Elara shook her head amusedly before folding the letter away. 

“God, look at the state of Pansy Parkinson,’ Heather said, her face scrunched up in distaste. 

Elara looked up at the Slytherin table to where Pansy was sitting, chin in hand, staring down the table dreamily at Viktor Krum who had a surly look on his face as he ate his breakfast. 

“Malfoy better watch out,” Heather said rolling her eyes. “Looks like his girlfriend might have a case of the wandering eye.” 

Elara felt a coldness wash over her as her heart rate quickened. “Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson aren’t dating, are they?” she asked, trying to keep her voice casual as she buttered her toast. 

“Probably,” Heather shrugged. “Match made in heaven, don’t you think?” 

Elara smiled wryly and nodded, hoping the burning sensation she could feel creeping up her face wasn’t visible to Heather.

“He used to always bitch about how annoying she was,” Elara said. “Told me how he could never get rid of her and how she followed him everywhere.”

She didn’t know why she was telling Heather this who only shrugged in response. Suddenly she wasn’t feeling very hungry anymore but she bit into her toast to give herself something to do. It felt dry and tasteless in her mouth. 

Draco dating Pansy shouldn’t bother her, she knew it shouldn’t. Elara’s infatuation with Draco was nothing more than a desire for something she could never have. Just confused feelings linked to her childhood memories and warped self-loathing, perpetuated by him. Why did he always get to her this way? Years of these feelings that never got any easier and seemed intent on remaining a constant in her life. Wasn’t she supposed to have grown out of it by now? 

And then that was it, her whole day plagued by thoughts of Draco and Pansy together. Picturing his arm around her, his kiss on her lips, his whispers in her ear. A whole day of trying but failing to concentrate in class. All because of one casual comment made by Heather. She tried hard to push it from her mind but it seemed to push back, determined to latch itself there as her only defining thought of the day. 

It was a relief then, to have some form of distraction when later they sat at the Gryffindor table, eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Tournament’s champions. Bartemius Crouch and Ludo Bagman sat alongside the teachers at the top table, Ludo waving and smiling cheerily at Elara when he spotted her causing Fred to give her a meaningful look. Madame Maxime from Beauxbatons and Igor Karkaroff were there too, both silently casting their eyes over the Great Hall as everyone waited impatiently for the Halloween feast to end and the champions to be announced. 

Finally, the plates had cleared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet, his eyes twinkling as the Great Hall fell immediately silent in anticipation. 

“Well,” he announced. “The Goblet is almost ready to-” 

But what the Goblet was almost ready to do would need to wait as Dumbledore’s voice was drowned out by a sudden, loud sound of retching. Dumbledore stopped in bewilderment, his eyes following the noise to the Slytherin table. The noise continued, growing louder and more panicked and Elara shuffled in her seat to follow Dumbledore’s gaze. 

Pansy Parkinson had jumped to her feet, her eyes wide with panic and from her mouth fell a great, lolling tongue, so long it touched the floor. She was trying hard to grab it as it flew wildly from her mouth, hitting Draco on the shoulder who jumped back in disgust. The whole hall erupted into laughter as Professor Snape flew from his seat and stormed between the tables, his eyes ablaze. He grabbed Pansy by her upper arm and pulled her out of the hall, the retching sounds and strangled moans disappearing with her. 

The students were now in a frenzy and Elara laughed heartily along with Heather who was wiping tears from her eyes. Elara turned to the twins who were smugly smiling at her. 

“Incredible!” she said as quietly as she could whilst still permitting them to hear her over the noise. “How?” 

George smiled. “Reconnaissance, like we said. We noticed she always liked to enjoy a chocolate mint after her dinner.” 

“Probably hoping for a kiss from Malfoy,” Fred added with a look of disgust. 

“So we used our contacts in the kitchen to make sure she could enjoy one of our special mints tonight instead.” 

Elara laughed again. “Genius,” she said in amazement. 

“I told you to have faith,” Fred winked as Dumbledore’s call for silence rang throughout the hall. 

They had truly outdone themselves beyond anything she could have ever imagined. Even spotting Draco looking at her suspiciously as she grinned back at Fred couldn’t dampen her mood. She had hoped to embarrass Pansy, yes. But in front of the whole school, including foreign students and high-ranking Ministry officials? Even in her wildest fantasies of revenge, she had never dared to dream so big. 

She decided there and then that getting the money back from Ludo Bagman was her new number one priority. She would do whatever it took, use all her power of persuasion, rob him herself if that’s what it came to. A deal was a deal and when they had held up their end of the bargain so magnificently, she had no choice but to do the same. 

And then Harry Potter had to come along and ruin her plans. 

Somehow hoodwinking the Goblet of Fire, he had been called as a fourth champion and the school was in an uproar. The students had been dismissed and Elara stood quickly, hoping to make her way to the top table to speak to Ludo but sighing in defeat as she watched him rush out of the hall through a side door, excitedly following some of the other teachers. 

“Damn it!” she cursed before turning to Heather. “Do you have a quill?” 

“No. I have eyeliner though?” 

“That’ll do.” Elara grabbed the eyeliner from Heathers hand and a napkin from the table, hastily scribbling a note on it as the crowd of students jostled past her. She ran towards the top table, pushing her way through the crowd until she found Hagrid. 

“Professor Hagrid!” she called, slightly out of breath. 

He turned to her with a faraway look in his eyes which were barely visible beneath his shaggy beard and hair. 

“Oh, Elara,” he said, looking down at her. 

“Can you give this to Ludo Bagman for me please?” she said, handing the napkin to him. “He’s my godfather, I was hoping to give it to him myself but...” 

She trailed off, indicating the events of the night but Hagrid seemed to understand. His face was a picture of worry and confusion and Elara remembered with a pang his closeness to Harry Potter. 

“Right yeh are,” he said, taking it from her. “I’ll make sure ter give it to ‘im.” 

“Thank you,” Elara said gratefully before turning to run back down the hall towards Heather whose bright blue eyes were watching her suspiciously. 

Perhaps giving the note to Hagrid may not have been her best plan since his mind obviously seemed to be elsewhere but she was still hopeful as she got to her friend. 

“You’ve got some explaining to do,” Heather said, her arms crossed as they followed the rest of the students out of the Great Hall. “Does this have anything to do with Pansy Parkinson’s tongue?” 

“Everything,” Elara grinned before launching into the story of her deal with Fred and George. 

* * *

The party that night in the Gryffindor Common Room was one that would go down in history. There were enough snacks and Butterbeers to feed the whole school and Lee Jordan had somehow found a Gryffindor banner that he had draped over Harry Potter’s shoulders despite his protestations. Elara watched as Harry was dragged from pillar to post with students demanding he tell them how he entered. 

“What a brilliant little git.” Fred appeared at her side, a Butterbeer in hand and a look of admiration and slight annoyance on his face. 

“Maybe he’s telling the truth,” she shrugged. “Maybe he really didn’t enter his name in the Goblet of Fire.” 

Fred snorted. “Yeah right. Harry’s the only one that can give me and George a run for our money when it comes to breaking the rules.” 

Elara had to nod in agreement. 

“Where’s Heather?” he asked, tearing his eyes from Harry and turning to face her. 

“Bed,” Elara said. “Like I should be too.” 

“How can you go to bed now when the most handsome bloke in Gryffindor is chatting to you?” he grinned mischievously. 

She rolled her eyes and laughed slightly. “I’m going to ignore that only because you’ve given me the gift of Pansy Parkinson and her six-foot long tongue.” 

“Ah yes,” he said, a misty look coming over his face. “I think it’s fair to say George and I excelled ourselves tonight.” 

“I actually have to agree. And don’t worry, I left Ludo a note with Hagrid to meet him in Hogsmeade. Hopefully I’ll perform as admirably as you did.” 

“I have complete faith in your power of persuasion.” 

He turned from her and reached to the table for another Butterbeer, handing it to her. “Here, have one last drink with me before bed.” 

She took it and smiled at him and was about to raise it to her lips when she stopped. With a suspicious look, she held the bottle up to the light and examined it closely. Fred watched her before breaking into laughter. 

“Don’t you trust me?” he asked incredulously. 

“No,” she said simply. “You’re Fred Weasley.” 

“Fair point. But I promise I have not tampered with your drink in any way, shape or form. I’d like to keep you on our good side for now if you're our chance of getting through to Bagman.” He paused thoughtfully, “If you fail though, all bets are off, just so you know.” 

“Is that a threat?” 

“I don’t make threats Miss Prince. I make promises,” he said, winking at her. 

“So, you’re saying if I fail in my attempts to blackmail a Ministry official, which is illegal by the way, you’ll poison my food or drink, which is also illegal?” 

“Now you’ve got it.” 

She gave him one last long look before finally taking a swig from the bottle. She stood still for a moment, waiting in the hope that she wasn’t about to break out in mysterious boils or magically sprout a tail. After a few seconds of nothing happening, she relaxed slightly and drank again. 

Fred laughed as he looked at her. “You’re really are something else," he said with a gleam in his eye.  



	5. Complete Awe

Elara entered the Three Broomsticks, hastily flattening down her hair that had blown wild in the wind. It was busy inside, full of Hogwarts students enjoying their first Hogsmeade weekend of the year, alongside teachers and Ministry officials gleefully discussing the first task due to take place in only a few days' time. 

“Elara! Over here!” Ludo was standing at a table, waving at her. He was wearing robes of magnificent green, stretched tight over his belly, his rosy face looking even rosier than normal in the stifling heat of the pub. 

She smiled and picked her way through the packed bar towards him. 

“Sit, sit!” he said, indicating the chair in front of him as he sat down. ‘I took the liberty of ordering you a Butterbeer, I hope you don’t mind. And ah! Here they come now!” 

Elara shrugged her jacket off and threw it over the chair as Madam Rosmerta placed their drinks down in front of them. “Ludo,” she said quietly. “There’s a few goblins over there asking for you.” 

Ludo rolled his eyes. “Every time! I keep telling them it’s Barty they want!” He sighed. “Thanks Madam Rosmerta, I’ll speak to them in a moment.” 

She smiled before leaving, making her way back to the bar. 

“So!” Ludo said to Elara brightly. “How’s school going? Are you excited for the first task?” 

“Oh, absolutely,” Elara replied, taking a sip of her Butterbeer. “It’s all anyone can talk about. I’ve got a feeling grades might dip this year since all anyone cares about is the Tournament.” 

Ludo laughed. “Well, it’s a once in a lifetime event! A lot of work went into it behind the scenes, I don’t mind telling you. All the old spoil sports saying it was much too dangerous, but we convinced them in the end.” 

He smiled cheerfully, as if potential injuries or fatalities were just a necessary component to good fun. 

He took a sip of his Butterbeer as Elara watched him over her drink, steadying herself for the task at hand. She had to find a way to turn the conversation to his dealings. Thinking quickly, she seized on his mention of work. 

“How’s work been?” she asked, wiping the condensation from the side of her glass. 

“What a year!” he grinned. “First Quidditch and now this. I honestly don’t know when I’ve had more fun though to tell you the truth. Keeping busy of course, but no one can’t deny that this isn’t an exciting time to be working in the Department for Magical Games and Sports. I bet your dad thinks the same.” 

“And how’s your side business?” 

It was remarkable how calm she felt, how suddenly she knew how to control the conversation. It came to her easily, steering him to the place she wanted, luring him into a false sense of security so she could strike. 

“My side business?” he asked. 

“Your gambling,” she clarified, putting on her best face of innocence. 

He stopped for a moment and looked at her. “I don’t know what you mean.” 

“You don’t have to lie to me Ludo,” she said conspiratorially. “Everyone saw you taking bets at the Quidditch.” 

He seemed to relax slightly. “Ahh, that,” he said. “Oh, just a bit of fun at the World Cup, that’s all.” 

“Can’t be much fun anymore now you’ve got goblins after you.” 

His eyes narrowed, his usual schoolboy cheer vanishing as he looked at her apprehensively. 

“Why don’t you speak to my dad about this Ludo,” she continued, leaning forward. “You know he would help.” 

“There’s nothing to speak to your father about,” he said briskly, his cheery façade evaporating as he looked at her warily. “I don’t know what you’ve been hearing but you’ve been given wrong information.” 

She leaned back and fixed her face into a sympathetic smile. “Perhaps,” she said. “But you do realise I’m in the same house as Fred and George Weasley of course? And well, quite like those goblins over there, they’ve been trying to speak to you for some time regarding some money you owe them.” 

His face paled and she could see him tighten his grip on his drink. 

“You know how it is, Ludo. When you owe money to people that don’t have very much, they’ll hound you to get it back.” It sounded like something her mother would say, and in that moment it certainly seemed she had inherited her mother’s insidious gift, the way she too could make a man cower under her words, spoken sweetly but with intent. “The twins know of the closeness you have with my father. We’re all just worried about you, you know. If you’re struggling to pay them back then perhaps it would be best if I let my dad know so he can help you out.” 

Ludo looked thunderous as he sat opposite her. 

“Even if you just paid them back the amount they placed on the bet, not the full winnings. I’m sure the Weasleys would accept that.” 

They sat in a tense silence as Ludo appraised her. She could see his brain working, a vein throbbing by his temple as he clenched his jaw. Suddenly he reached into his robes and for one wild moment Elara thought he was going for his wand, until he threw down a small, purple sack which clinked on to the table. 

“That should be enough to cover their bet,” he said shortly. 

She reached out and lifted the bag, tucking it into her jacket pocket before smiling back at him but he was already standing to leave. 

“It’s time for me to go,” he said. “Sorry to cut our catch-up short but I have a lot to be getting on with.” 

He made to walk away before stopping, looking down at her with a rancorous look in his eye. “You know, you really are starting to resemble your mother,” he said coldly before striding away, leaving her to sit alone with the ghost of her relationship with her godfather. 

A relationship she had destroyed in less than five minutes. 

* * *

The common room was beginning to empty as Elara lounged on an armchair, her eyes fixed on the fire. She had been sitting there for the last hour, Heather having left for bed some time ago. She had told Heather of her success, although opting to miss out the finer points. 

She knew she should go to bed, she felt exhausted. But the thought of lying in the darkness with only herself for company was enough to keep her glued to the armchair, surrounded by the last remnants of a Saturday night in the Common Room. 

Her conversation with Ludo Bagman was all she could think of. How easy it had been for her to sit there with him, to manipulate her words into thinly veiled threats and acquire what she wanted whilst smiling sweetly. 

And his parting words to her of how she resembled her mother replayed over and over in her head. How many times did people have to tell you something before you accepted it as the truth, she wondered. Draco had already mentioned how she was a Slytherin disguised as a Gryffindor and half of Gryffindor themselves certainly thought it to be true. And hadn’t she just proven them all right today? 

Because the truth was, she had always been incredibly fond of Ludo. She’d grown up with him around, even played Quidditch in her yard with him as a child. And now she had thrown all that away. How easily she had discarded him to get what she wanted, destroying her relationship with her own godfather as easily as she had woken up that morning. Almost as if it was second nature to her. 

She looked up as Fred flopped down on to the sofa with a sigh, running his hand through his red hair. “Evening,” he said. 

It was an effort to smile back at him but always one to hide her feelings, she managed before turning to look at the fire again. “Where’s George?” she asked. 

“Detention,” he replied, leaning back and resting his feet on the coffee table. 

“Without you?” 

“Part of the punishment to do it separately. My turn tomorrow.” 

She snorted at how casually he discussed detention, as if it was as normal as attending class each day. 

“Hey,” he said defensively as if he could read her thoughts, “this is the longest we’ve went in any school year without getting a detention. It’s a record for us.” 

“Your mother will be proud.” 

He nodded seriously. “Yeah, I expect so.” 

A silence fell over them then as he looked at her. “Good day at Hogsmeade?” 

She didn’t want to answer that question. Instead, she sat forward to reach into her pocket before throwing the small pouch of money on to the table. Fred stared at it before looking back at her, his eyes wide. 

“You did it?” he asked in an incredulous whisper. 

“I could only get you back the amount you placed on the bet,” she explained, leaning back into the armchair. “I couldn’t get your winnings but at least you’ve not lost all your savings” 

He looked at her in amazement before quickly sitting forward and seizing the pouch. He yanked it open and examined the money inside before grinning at her. “I am in complete awe of your power of persuasion.” 

Elara blanched. 

“It’s a compliment,” he added quickly. She was surprised at how easily he could read her reactions. 

“Awe?” she said, one eyebrow raised. 

“ _Complete_ awe.” 

She relaxed her face into a smile. “A deal’s a deal.” 

He turned the gold Galleons over in his hand, looking down at the money in stunned silence. When he looked back up at her he caught her eye and she quickly looked away, but not before she saw the faintest trace of concern cross his face. 

“Are you ok?” he asked. 

“Of course,” she said, fixing her face into a convincing look of contentment before standing. “I better get to bed.” 

She turned to leave before feeling his fingers wrap around her hand as he gently pulled her back. “Wait,” he said. Elara looked down at his hand on hers, his fingers warm to the touch. “I don’t know what you had to do to get this but I want you to know, George and I, we’re really grateful. This is all the money we have. You’ve truly saved two admittedly dim-witted boys from a grisly death at the hands of their mother.” 

She nodded as he let go of her. “Don’t mention it.” 

She made her way to the stairs to the girl's dormitory, Fred watching her go. 

“Goodnight, sweet Prince,” he called. 

And despite her mood, she laughed. 

* * *

The next day, Elara and Heather walked side by side as they climbed the stairs to the Astronomy tower, Heather clutching a stitch in her side. 

“My God, these stairs!” she moaned. “Why can’t they just invest in a lift?” 

Elara snorted. 

“I’m serious!” Heather said sincerely. “There must be plenty of wealthy parents that make sizeable donations to this place. It could do with a bit of modernising!” 

“It’s a castle, Heather,” Elara said, rolling her eyes. “It would take away from its charm.” 

“Charm? This is charming to you? I’m going to have calves like an athlete runner with all the stairs I climb in this place.” 

Elara laughed and shook her head at her friend's dramatics, noticing that they were probably going to be the last ones to class they were ascending the stairs so slowly. 

She could feel Heather looking sideways at her as they climbed. “You know, this is the first I’ve seen you smile all day,” she commented. “Ever since your meeting with Bagman you’ve been a sourpuss.” 

“Sorry,” Elara said, “I don’t mean to be.” 

“Don’t apologise. I just want to make sure you’re ok.” 

“I’m fine,” Elara lied. 

She hated lying to her best friend and mostly it was fruitless to do so anyway, Heather could always see through it, like she could now, holding out her arm and stopping Elara on the stairs with a frown. “No, you’re not,” she said pointedly. 

Elara sighed. How could she put into words how she was feeling? The sickness she felt crawling inside of her, a poison that could transform her into a slick, self-serving creature, capable of stepping over anyone if it suited her. The poison of her family’s blood perhaps, an inevitability. 

She looked up at Heather who had moved to stand on the step above her with an attentive look on her face. 

“Do you think I’m a bad person?” Elara heard the words come out of her mouth and flinched. She sounded pathetic and clichéd, like a melodramatic teenager looking for reassurance. 

“What?” Heather said, her whole body language changing from interest to pure concern. 

“Never mind,” Elara said, shaking her head. “That wasn’t what I meant to say.” 

“Then what did you mean to say?” 

Elara paused, looking at her friend and the worry on her face before speaking again. “It’s just, I don’t know, I’m worried that I’m becoming my mother or something. I can see this darkness in myself, like I’m capable of really hurting people and when I speak sometimes all I can hear is Cassini Prince.” 

Heather sighed and looked at Elara seriously. “Firstly, if this is because of Ludo Bagman I want you to remember that he is the bad guy in this situation, not you. He was practically stealing money from teenage boys, Elara. You might have had to say some things to Bagman to get the Weasley’s their money back but it’s nothing he couldn’t have done with hearing.” 

Elara nodded, taking in Heather’s words and trying to believe them. 

“Secondly,” she continued, “we are not all predestined to become our parents. Sure, some of us might have to work harder at it than others, but if you don’t want to become like your mother, then you won’t. If you start to believe that you have no choice but to become your mother, then believe me, that will happen too.” 

Elara looked at her confusedly causing Heather to sigh. “All I’m trying to say is it’s you who decides the type of person you become. And the fact that you’re questioning your morals and the kind of person you want to be suggests to me you’re already a better person than your mother ever was.” 

Elara smiled at her friend. “You’re right,” she said. At least she hoped she was. 

“Of course I am,” Heather shrugged. “You know, I'm really thinking of setting up counselling sessions or something around here. I give such good advice.” 

Elara laughed and hit her on the shoulder playfully. They began climbing the stairs again as Heather linked her arms in Elara’s. 

“My mum didn’t always used to be such a bitter person, by the way,” Elara said. “At one time she was actually pretty pleasant. It was my dad leaving her that changed that.” 

“So, in order to not become your mother, you just have to avoid being left by a professional Quidditch player?” 

“Looks like it,” Elara laughed. 

“Well, that’s Viktor Krum off the table then.” 

Despite her misgivings and despite not knowing if she fully believed Heather to be right, it did feel like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. If it came down to the opinions of Draco Malfoy and Ludo Bagman against her best friend, she knew she should choose Heather’s every time. Heather knew Elara better than anyone. And if Heather thought she was a good person, then maybe that might just be true.

* * *

Later that night, Heather and Elara made their way to the girl's dormitory, running into their dormmate Kate Anand just outside the door. 

“Someone left a gift for you on your bed, Elara,” Kate said as she rushed past. “Sorry I’ve got to run, got study group!” 

They both waved goodbye before rushing into the dorm, Elara racing Heather to the gift on her bed. She got there first and picked it up triumphantly as Heather rolled her eyes in defeat. It was a small box, wrapped rather haphazardly in red and gold paper. 

“Who’s sending you gifts?” Heather asked, flopping down on to her bed. 

“No idea.” 

She ripped open the packaging eagerly and opened the lid of the box. Inside there was a note that sat on top of some tissue paper. 

_To Elara,_

_Forever in complete awe._

_Fred x_

She smiled as she read the words, feeling a small flip in her stomach at Fred’s name written there with a small ‘x’. 

“It’s from the Weasley twins,” she said to Heather who was waiting impatiently for more information. She didn’t know why she didn’t tell her it was from just Fred alone. 

She looked back in the box to see a bracelet, clearly homemade in woven together red and gold string to match the wrapping paper. In the centre was a flat, silver pendant and printed on it were the words ‘Best Friend’. 

Elara laughed as she held it in her hand. Heather, too nosy to wait, jumped from her bed and looked at it too. 

“Best friend?” she said with raised eyebrows. “If you are ditching me for the Weasley twins Elara then I think I might just cry myself to sleep!” 

Elara ignored her and put the bracelet on, admiring the glint of the silver by the light of the candle next to her bed. “It’s from a joke they made when I said I’d help them.” 

“Hmm,” Heather said, going back to her bed. “Inside jokes and everything now. I see how it is.” 

Elara stuck her tongue out at her before narrowly ducking in time to miss the pillow Heather threw her way.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you caught the reference to the friendship bracelet in chapter 3! I'm having so much fun writing this, I can't stop. Updates should be pretty regular for now as I already have a few chapters written up. Let me know what you think :)


	6. Obsessed

The combination of the dramatic events of the first task, combined with the announcement of the Yule Ball, meant the whole school was in an excitable mood as it moved into Christmas. Elara would have liked to have felt the same but her O.W.L workload meant she could spare no time for joy as she spent most waking hours with her head in a book. 

She was in the library, elbow on the table and forehead leaning on her hand as she looked down at the particularly nasty essay Professor Snape had set them. With a sigh, she scratched a line through the last sentence she had wrote. Her eyes were stinging and the hour was getting late. She was probably going to have to get up early the next morning to finish this one. 

She heard the scraping of a chair being moved just along from her and dragged her eyes away from her work to see Draco sit down, leaning back as he grinned at her. She sighed deeply before looking back at her essay. 

“There’s plenty of other free chairs, you know,” she said pointedly. 

“I like this one.” 

She tried to read over her essay but it was impossible knowing he was sitting so near. She felt an annoyance at him, a feeling stronger than her usual apprehension. She guessed her exhaustion was overpowering her need to steal a glance at him to see if he was watching her. 

“Clever stunt you pulled on Pansy,” he said casually. “Poor girl was traumatised.” 

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied. 

She may as well have said nothing however as he ignored her, continuing on. “I truly never thought I’d see the day Elara Prince would be hooking up with a Weasley twin.” 

She thought she heard the faintest trace of a question in his voice but when she looked up she saw him smirk at her. Another game to him. 

And although her heart was hammering at the sight of him, her patience was wearing thin. 

“Just think,” he added, “if the two of them take you to the Yule Ball they might be able to pool enough money together to afford to buy you a drink.” 

He looked at her so self-assuredly, so confident in himself with his stupid jokes. 

“You are obsessed.” 

She could see that this wasn’t the response he expected from her as he stopped for a moment, a flash in his grey eyes. “Obsessed?” 

“Yes, Draco. Obsessed.” Her lips curled up into a slow smile. 

And all that darkness in her that she fretted over, all those times where she used her words to pick at the bones of a person, were now her weapon. Stronger than any he had ever used on her. She could feel her mother's words form in her mind and this time she welcomed them. “It must kill you to know that despite growing up with you, despite knowing you my whole life, I’d still rather spend my time with a Weasley.” 

He snorted. “I don’t place much stock in your choice of company Prince,” he said. “If you want to run around with Mudbloods and blood traitors then that’s fine by me.” 

“And yet here you are,” she said knowingly. “Choosing to sit next to me in the library. Taking every opportunity you can to talk to me. Even prying into my love life now.” 

“I was only bored,” he sneered. 

She smirked at his lie and he glared back at her. 

“And let me guess,” she was enjoying herself now, feeling that thrill of power over him that was so foreign to her, that she had only ever used on others before. “You’ll be taking Pansy Parkinson to the ball? It’s nice of you to throw her a bone every once in a while, your little lap dog.” 

He stared at her before shaking his head with a smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes which blazed in a quiet fury. “No need to be jealous Elara. It’s unbecoming on you.” 

“I’m not jealous Draco. I assure you.” 

She didn’t know if he could see through her false confidence as he smirked at her but she knew she couldn’t let her bravado fail now, not while his eyes were on hers so intently. She prayed he couldn’t hear her heartbeat which seemed to pound in her ears, until finally he stood, giving her one last look as he turned to leave. 

She wished there wasn’t some part of her that wanted him to stay. 

“Oh and Draco,” she called after him. “If Pansy looks like she’s going to be sick when she sees you at the ball you mustn't blame yourself. She may have just accidentally swallowed another Ton-Tongue Toffee.” 

She grinned to herself as he stormed out of the library. 

She packed her books into her bag and made her way back to the Common Room, barely able to keep the smile off her face. The image of Draco’s sour look imprinted joyfully in her mind, a win finally in the little games he played with her. She knew he’d make her pay for it when she next forgot herself and let her guard down around him, but for now it felt worth it. 

She was so lost in her small victory that she almost ran straight into Nathan on the stairs, jumping as he appeared suddenly in front of her. 

“Sorry!” he said, his cheeks reddening. 

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” she asked. 

He shifted awkwardly. “Well, I was actually looking for you.” 

A silence fell over them as she waited expectantly for him to speak. His warm, brown eyes were dancing nervously and his dark hair looked more dishevelled than usual as he ran his hand through it. 

“Are you ok?” 

“What? Yeah! Yeah, sorry. I’m ok.” 

“Well...” she said slowly, attempting to prompt him. “You were looking for me?” 

“Right! Sorry, I didn’t think I’d be this awkward.” He laughed nervously. “I was looking for you because I was wondering, if maybe, I don’t know... if you’d like to go to the ball with me?” 

“Oh,” Elara said surprised. She truly hadn’t expected him to ask her, in fact, she hadn’t really thought much about who might ask her. It had only just been announced. 

He was looking at her restlessly and new possibilities came into Elara’s mind. She’d never really looked at him in that way before but as she stood before him now, she could certainly see why some might think he was handsome, with his dark hair and pale skin. He had the type of wide smile that seemed to show all his teeth and the scattering of freckles across his nose could certainly be considered cute. 

“Sure,” she said, smiling. “I’d love to.” 

His whole body seemed to decompress as he relaxed with a small laugh. “Great,” he grinned. “Cool. Are you heading back to the Common Room? I’ll come with you.” 

She nodded and allowed him to fall into step with her, secretly feeling giddy as they walked together. She had a date to the Yule Ball and she couldn’t wait to see the look on Draco’s face when she arrived with him. 

* * *

The next morning Elara made her way to the Great Hall early to have breakfast and finish Snape’s essay. She worked at the almost empty dining table alone until it slowly started to fill with other tired and sluggish Gryffindors. Eventually Heather joined her, yawning widely as she sat down and helped herself to some coffee. 

“Good morning,” Elara said cheerfully. 

Heather narrowed her eyes, looking at Elara and the essay she was working on. “Why are you so happy this morning? And while you’re doing that horrible Potions essay? Don’t tell me the O.W.L's have finally caused you to crack.” 

“I haven’t cracked,” Elara said, rolling her eyes. “Can’t I just be cheery in the morning?” 

“No,” Heather said forcefully. “Something’s going on. Spill, Prince.” 

Elara sighed before putting down her quill. She looked up at her friend and couldn’t stop the smile spreading on her face again. “Fine. I need to tell you about last night,” she said. “First, I saw Draco in the library-” 

“I already don’t like where this is going.” 

Elara ignored her and continued. “Well, he was being his usual self. All nasty comments and snarky remarks-” 

“Remind me why he’s speaking to you in public again? Your original arrangement of pretending not to know each other was working fine." 

“Will you let me finish my story?” 

“Sorry,” Heather said, taking a sip of her coffee. “Please continue.” 

“Anyway, he was making comments about who I was going to the Yule Ball with, so I said to him, 'Well, I guess you’ll be going to the ball with Pansy, your little lap dog.' And then I said, ‘Don’t worry Draco, if she looks sick at the sight of you it might just be that she’s swallowed another Ton-Tongue Toffee.'” Elara laughed at the memory. “Oh, you should have seen his face Heather. He stormed out of the library all huffy.” 

Heather looked at her over her coffee as she raised an eyebrow. “Is that it?” 

Elara bristled slightly, her smile vanishing. It wasn’t quite the reaction she had hoped for. “Well, I guess you had to have been there.” 

“Oh Elara, don’t be like that,” Heather said with a sigh. “I just don’t like this whole Draco Malfoy business one bit.” 

“What Draco Malfoy business?” Elara said, feeling annoyed. “There’s no _business_.” 

“Look,” Heather said and Elara groaned. Another Heather MacDougall rant was coming, she could sense it. “I’m happy you got one over on Draco, really, I am. But aren’t you suspicious at all?” 

“Suspicious of what?” 

“For four years he ignored you at school, pretended you weren’t practically spending whole summers with him. And that arrangement was working out just fine if you ask me. Then suddenly this year he’s popping up everywhere. Walking with you in the corridor, asking you about the Yule Ball in the library.” 

“It’s been two conversations.” 

“Two too many,” Heather said. “He’s up to something, I can feel it in my bones.” 

“Stop being dramatic Heather,” Elara said dismissively. 

Heather put her cup down on the table and looked at Elara, her expression softening. “Elara, I just worry. I know you think you have me fooled but you don’t. I can see the way he gets to you. And I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you too. Frankly, it worries me.” 

Elara could feel her face turn red. Was she that obvious? 

And what did she mean the way he looked at her? Did Draco look at her a certain way? 

“To me Draco Malfoy is nothing more than an unpleasant ferret who walks around like he owns the whole world. But to you...” Heather paused, as if mulling over her next choice of words. “To you he’s dangerous. I don’t know what goes on when you see him during the summer holidays but every time you come back a little changed. I’m asking please, as your friend, will you stay away from him? 

“Just drop it,” Elara said quickly as she noticed too late Fred and George arriving at the table, George immediately reaching for a banana as they both sat down. 

“Drop what?” he asked, looking between the two of them with excited curiosity. 

“Yeah, stay away from who?” Fred asked. 

“Never you mind,” Heather said sternly, reminding Elara strongly of Professor McGonagall. 

“She probably means you Fred,” George said, a mouth full of banana. “Frankly I make a point to advise all girls to steer clear of you.” 

“Shut up, this sounds like fairly decent gossip. Come on ladies, tell us. I promise we won’t say anything.” 

“If you’re my friends you’ll drop this,” Elara interrupted before Heather could open her mouth to reply. 

George shrugged, “Well in that case I rescind my friendship.” 

Elara raised her arm, the sleeve of her robe falling to reveal the red and gold friendship bracelet around her wrist. “I have the friendship bracelet, Weasley. You can’t rescind your friendship now.” 

“Actually, as you well know, it was Fred who made you that, not me. So I think you’ll find I can rescind my friendship at any time as I see fit.” 

Heather’s eyes widened at the knowledge that it was only Fred who had given her the bracelet instead of both twins and Elara had to shoot her a warning look which was luckily missed by the boys. 

“Moving on,” Elara said loudly, changing the subject. “You boys figured out who you’re taking to the Yule Ball yet?” 

“Not yet,” Fred said unconcernedly. “You shouldn’t ask girls until the very last minute anyway.” 

“And why’s that?” Heather asked in a tone suggesting she already knew the answer was going to be nonsensical. 

“Well, no girl wants to end up with no date to the ball, right? So you leave it until the last possible moment before you ask her, when she’s really stressed about it. She’ll be at her wits end, crying to her mates thinking no man will ever want her. And that’s when I swoop in. She’s guaranteed to say yes then with the added bonus that I’ll be seen as the knight in shining armour who rescued her from a life of loneliness and twenty cats.” 

“Are you sure that’s how it works?” Elara asked, cocking her eyebrow. 

“Well, why don’t you hang around and find out Elara?” 

She rolled her eyes. “No thank you, I already have a date.” 

Cries of ‘what?’ and ‘who?’ and ‘already?’ rang loudly from the three of her friends who were looking at her, eyes wide. 

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Heather admonished. “Your own best friend.” 

“I think you'll find I'm her best friend now MacDougall, and she has the bracelet to prove it,” Fred said.

Elara ignored him and turned to Heather. “Well, you wouldn’t shut up about the other thing, I never got a chance!” 

“I still want to know what the other thing is!” George interrupted impatiently. 

“You can either know who my date is or what the other thing is,” she said to him. “Not both.” 

“The other thing,” he said quickly, just as Fred demanded “the date!” 

“Sorry George,” she said, raising her arm again to show the bracelet on her wrist. “Fred wins, it’s the rules of the friendship bracelet.” 

“You idiot,” George said to Fred. “You’re going to see who her date is at the ball anyway.” 

Fred only shrugged in response before quickly looking back at Elara. “So, what lucky guy is going to have the pleasure of trying to get you drunk at the ball?” 

She took a deep breath before replying. 

“Nathan Bird.” 

A thoughtful silence greeted her words as she looked between them, waiting for the taunting that was sure to come. 

“Hmm,” George said eventually. “It’s a pretty safe choice I suppose.” 

“Safe?” she repeated. 

Heather was nodding in agreement. “Yeah, safe.” 

“You both keep saying that word without telling me what you mean by it.” 

“Well, it’s Nathan Bird,” George shrugged as he popped the last of his banana in his mouth. “I was hoping for something a bit more scandalous.” 

“Scandalous?” 

He nodded as Heather bit into her toast, smiling tauntingly at her. Fred was sitting quietly. 

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint,” Elara said, feeling a little put out. 

“That’s ok,” George said. “Just try harder next time.”   



	7. The Yule Ball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! So the idea for the Yule Ball came to me first and I've built the whole rest of the story around it. It has ended up being a long chapter but it didn't make sense to split it so I hope you don't mind the length because it's an eventful night! Hope you like :)

Elara looked at herself in the full-length mirror, turning sideways and breathing in her stomach in a self-conscious and futile attempt to somehow make it look flat like the models in the magazines. She let go of her breath and sighed before facing frontwards again. She felt like she was made of nothing but butterflies and jelly, her heart fluttering excitedly as she smoothed down her dress. 

The dress she had chosen had been sent by her mother with no expenses spared. It was a simple spaghetti-strapped dress in emerald green silk that clung to her figure and fell to her calves. Her dark hair had been tied back into a low bun and she had accessorised with small golden hoop earrings. 

“Divine.” 

Elara turned to see Heather smiling widely at her, her ruby lips matching her dress perfectly and her blue eyes looking the colour of the summer sky. 

“There is no way your parents signed off on that dress,” Elara said, noticing the high slit on one side. 

“They did actually,” Heather replied smartly before walking to stand beside Elara at the mirror. “But that was before they saw the subtle alterations I made.” 

Elara stood side by side with her friend, the two of them grinning at each other through the mirror in anticipation. 

“Don’t we both look exquisite,” Heather winked. 

“Modesty as always.” 

“This is no time for modesty.” 

“Clearly,” Elara said, pointing to the slit in her dress. “Oran Byrne is going to have a heart attack when he sees you.” 

“I’d be disappointed if he didn’t!” 

The two of them laughed before Heather linked her arm in Elara’s and they made their way out of the dorm, past the jealous eyes of the younger Gryffindors who were unable to go to the ball. After pushing their way through the portrait hole as elegantly as was possible in a long dress and high heels, they set off down the stairs to the Yule Ball. 

The castle was a spectacle to behold, bedazzled, polished and bewitching in its beauty. They descended towards the Entrance Hall where it seemed crowds of boys were waiting in nervous anticipation for their dates to arrive. Elara spotted Nathan and Oran standing off to the side, Nathan beaming at her as she made her way to him. 

“You look amazing,” he said as she arrived. 

She smiled back, feeling slightly awkward and trying not to nervously flatten down her dress again. He certainly looked very handsome. He wore dress robes of midnight blue and his usual unruly hair whilst still unruly, definitely looked more carefully so as opposed to his normal haphazardly so. 

“Shall we?” he asked, extending his arm which she took gratefully, turning to make sure Heather and Oran were following. 

The long dining tables in the Great Hall had been replaced with smaller, round tables and spotting the red hair of the Weasley twins already sitting at one, Elara steered Nathan towards them. 

“You guys do realise it’s a Yule _Ball_?” George said as the four of them approached. “You were supposed to make an effort.” 

“Oh, ha ha,” Heather replied sarcastically. 

Fred let out a low whistle at the sight of Elara and Heather and jumped from his seat, pulling out the one next to him and indicating for Elara to sit down. Angelina Johnson was sitting on his other side and waved at her as they all took their seats. 

“Don’t mind George,” he said as he sat back down. “I think this is the first time he’s ever seen a girl in a dress that wasn’t our mother or Ginny.” 

George, who was sitting across from them with his date Alicia Spinnet, lamely aimed a napkin at him that only made it halfway across the table. Nathan sat down on Elara’s other side with Heather and Oran sitting beside him. 

The whole thing felt surreal, to be in school dressed in something other than a school uniform or lazy weekend clothes, and to be on a date with Nathan Bird. The absurdity of it filled her with a strange impulse to laugh. 

The eight of them sat at the table, chatting excitedly and laughing as they waited. Finally it seemed everyone had arrived and the Yule Ball could officially begin. After ordering their food by reading out loud from the menu, Fred leaned towards her, pointing his fork at the table across from them. 

“Hey, you see Troyer over there?” he said. 

Elara’s eyes followed the direction of his fork to where she could see the back of Elsa Troyer’s head as she chatted animatedly to a boy sitting next to her. Her hair had been piled high and, from where Elara sat, looked like it was moving and glowing. As Elara looked closer however, she realised that it was in fact filled with live, fluorescent blue butterflies. The effect could perhaps have been nice if she hadn’t used so many. Instead it looked like she had some kind of insect nest on her head with the butterflies fluttering angrily for space. 

“How come you didn’t do your hair like that?” he asked. 

“I couldn’t find my butterfly net.” 

“Bummer,” he said. “You could have borrowed mine.” 

“Are they real?” she asked, leaning forward to get a better look. 

“They look about as real as Moody’s eye. Or Moody’s leg. Come to think of it, I wish Mad-Eye had thought to do the same to his hair.” 

She laughed despite herself and shook her head at him. 

“How many butterflies do you think she has in there anyway?” he asked, tucking into his goulash. 

“Hmm, I’d say twenty,” Elara guessed. 

“Not a chance! I’ll wager you that there’s at least thirty.” 

Elara gave him her best stern look. “Didn’t you learn anything from your last gambling experience?” 

“Yes,” he said sincerely. “I learned that you’re really great at cleaning up my messes.” 

She glowered at him. “That’s not the lesson I hoped you’d gain from that experience.” 

“Ahh, but at least I learned something,” he said meaningfully. “And isn’t that the main thing?” 

She shook her head and rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t help chuckling slightly. Nathan looked at them both, smiling politely just as Fred turned back to Angelina. 

“What was that about?” he asked. 

“He was talking about Elsa Troyer’s hair,” she said, nodding her head towards where Elsa sat. 

“Oh yes. It’s pretty cool isn’t it?” 

Elara could only smile back at him before tucking into her food, hoping Nathan hadn’t heard their jokes at Elsa’s expense. 

It didn’t take them long to finish their food, what with it being so delicious, and afterwards they watched on as the Triwizard Champions rose to make their way to the dance floor with their partners. Her table was only interested in watching Harry Potter dance awkwardly with his date however, Elara even turning her chair to the side in order to see better. The dance began and Fred and George kept trying to catch Harry’s eye in an attempt to embarrass him until Angelina firmly told them off. 

“Poor Harry,” Elara said to Nathan who was watching them all with his usual toothy grin. “I would hate to have to do that in front of everyone.” 

“Really?” he said, facing her. “You wouldn’t fancy being up there with a Triwizard Champion?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

“Not even Diggory?” 

She paused thoughtfully. “Well...” she joked before laughing as Nathan playfully narrowed his eyes at her. He turned back to watch the dancers as more people began making their way to join the champions on the dance floor. 

“Hey, Prince.” It was Fred again, leaning in from behind her this time so that his chin was practically resting on her shoulder. “Look at Dumbledore and Madame Maxime.” 

Elara looked out in front of her to see Professor Dumbledore, who was one of the first to head to the dance floor, hand in hand with Madame Maxime. She danced very gracefully with him despite him barely coming up to her chest. 

“Do you think he’s tempted to just throw his face forward and-” 

“Do not finish that sentence!” Elara warned holding up her hand. 

“I’m just saying, it’s a miracle he’s keeping eye contact with her. He’s in perfect range. If it was me, I’d be motorboa-” 

“Stop!” Elara said, bursting into laughter as she tried to push away the unsightly image he had concocted in her head. “Thankfully, Professor Dumbledore is a far classier man than you and I’m sure that thought has not entered his head at all.” 

“Sure it hasn’t,” he winked at her. 

She raised her hand over her shoulder to push his face away causing him to fall back into his seat, his laughter muffled under her palm as Nathan shot her a quizzical look. 

“You don’t even want to know this time,” she explained. 

He nodded with a small smile. “Do you want to dance?” he asked, holding his hand out to her. 

She nodded and beamed widely at him as she took his hand, allowing him to lead her on to the steadily filling dancefloor. She hadn’t paid him much attention since arriving, being too caught up in Fred’s jokes and the general atmosphere of the ball, leaving her feeling a sliver of guilt.

A slow, melodical song by the Weird Sisters played as she placed her hand on Nathan’s shoulder and he held her other one loosely. They swayed in time to the music and she suddenly became very aware of his proximity to her. She let her eyes roam over the dancefloor in an attempt to not stare at his face awkwardly. From the corner of her eye she saw Fred pull Angelina to the dance floor too and engage her in an energetic dance that was much too fast for the song playing. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of them. 

“He’s pretty funny, isn’t he?” Nathan commented, noticing her watching them. 

“Yeah,” she agreed, turning back to face him. “Both of the twins are.” 

“You two seem particularly close though,” he remarked. 

“I get on well with both of them.” 

He said nothing for a moment, the two of them dancing again in silence as she searched in her mind for something else to talk about. 

“I think he likes you.” 

Elara looked at Nathan who she could tell was trying to look casual, as if his comment was only meant offhandedly. 

“I don’t think so,” she said. “He’s just a friend.” 

“Nah.” He had a look on his face that Elara couldn’t quite place but which was annoying her anyway. Was it condescension maybe? “He definitely likes you,” he said as if it was an unarguable fact. 

Elara didn’t respond as they swayed again in silence. She felt like this was the longest dance she’d ever had, to the longest song that had ever played. 

“That’s why I asked you to the ball so quickly,” he added. “I wanted to get in there before he did.” 

“Oh.” 

Elara didn’t know what else to say. Sure, she and Fred had certainly become friends this year, but it was nothing more than that. Just two people who had developed a mutual friendship over some casual bribing and revenge plans. Nothing more. 

But as she thought about it some more, she realised there had been moments that from an outsider's perspective could prompt someone to assume otherwise. The concern he seemed to have for her after she bribed Bagman for example, or the friendship bracelet, or the interest in who she was taking to the Yule Ball. And then there was tonight, making her sit beside him and cracking jokes with her. She looked over at him again to see him spin Angelina who was in a fit of giggles. 

But she had come to the ball with Nathan Bird. Yet even now as they danced together, smiling politely and avoiding eye contact, she realised that she’d never felt anything for him. And she was sure he’d never felt anything for her either. It was exactly as George and Heather had described it. A safe option. 

Finally the song finished and Elara immediately stepped back from him. “Bathroom,” she said quickly, excusing herself. 

“I’ll wait here for you!” she heard him call after her as she shouldered her way through the crowd. 

She opened the bathroom door to find it mercifully empty before standing in front of the mirror. She didn’t really need to go and since all of her makeup had been bewitched to stay streak free and sweat proof, she really had no reason to be in the bathroom at all. She just needed a moment. She leaned her hands against the sink, looking at her reflection staring back at her and sighed. 

What was she doing? Had she spent the whole year pining after Draco Malfoy that she hadn’t noticed something better staring at her in the face? 

Or was this just Nathan’s guesswork from noticing her and Fred’s new friendship? 

She and Nathan were only friends, that had always been the case and had certainly been proven tonight. She knew deep down, that Nathan wasn’t particularly adventurous and had never really been one to rock the boat, just like her, always playing it safe. That word again; safe. 

That was why he asked her to the ball, she realised. Two friends with no expectations. It was better than going alone. 

The door to the bathroom swung open and Elara jumped to see two girls enter, one in floods of tears as her friend consoled her, rubbing her back and calling some obviously unfaithful boy a whole plethora of words that would have made even Elara’s mother proud. Taking it as her cue to leave, Elara took a deep breath, fixed her face into a smile and stepped from the bathroom. 

The ball was truly in full swing now. The lights had been dimmed and the band were playing an upbeat, clearly popular song that had filled the dancefloor. Elara stopped as she looked over the crowd, spotting Oran and Heather sharing a drink as they danced whilst Angelina and Alicia were laughing at each other as they jumped in time to the beat. Nathan was standing by the table where she had left him, except this time he was speaking to two Beauxbatons girls. 

Elara took her chance to slip away, descending the stairs from the Entrance Hall to outside where the air felt cool and refreshing on her face. She could hear the low bass of the music fade as she walked slowly, arms folded against the chill. Giggles and whispers rose from the darker corners of the courtyard and she was just about to give up and head back inside when she heard her name spoken. 

She turned to see Draco, his pale hair and skin standing out more than usual against his black velvet dress robes, the high neck giving him an almost regal look. And she realised that for the first time this year, she had been in the Great Hall at the same time as him and hadn’t tried to discreetly find his face in the crowd. That for the first time she’d almost completely forgotten about him. Almost. 

“Your date doesn’t seem to be going well,” he said, one side of his mouth tugged up in a smile. “Running away?” 

“I was just getting some fresh air.” 

He gave her a knowing look, seeing through her lie. 

“Well, it is certainly fresh out here,” he said, indicating the cold night. 

“Then I’ll be heading back inside, see you Draco,” she said as she barged past him. 

“Wait!” 

She felt his hand clasp around her wrist as he stopped her and she closed her eyes for only a second, bracing herself for whatever was coming her way. 

“What?” she asked impatiently, spinning round to face him. 

He was looking at her intently, his hand still clasped around her wrist, his touch surprisingly soft and warm. 

“I just wanted to tell you that you look good tonight,” he said quietly. “I’ve always thought that green suited you.” 

There was something in his voice that she had never heard before as she looked back at him, unable to drop his gaze and hating the effect his words had on her. 

And for the first time ever she saw a sincerity in his eyes that scared her. 

“Thank you,” she replied in almost a whisper. 

He nodded but still didn’t let go of her wrist, the silence between them embracing her in a security she had never before felt with him. He took a step closer and she instinctively stepped back, seeing a flash in his eyes before he dropped her wrist and the spell was broken. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. 

He opened his mouth to answer before his eye was caught by something behind her. She turned, following his gaze to see Fred look over at the two of them from the entrance to the castle. Without another word Draco gave her one last look and walked from her, glaring at Fred as he passed him into the Entrance Hall. Elara took a deep, steadying breath before following, making her way to Fred who was watching her approach. 

“What on earth was that all about?” he asked. 

“Nothing.” 

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Liar.” 

“It’s Draco,” she shrugged, keeping her voice casual. “Who knows what he’s up to half the time.” 

Fred looked at her suspiciously before shaking his head. “You’re keeping secrets from me again Elara, I can feel it. And to think we’re supposed to be best friends!” 

She sighed. “Trust me, you wouldn’t want to know.” 

She tried to fix her face into a look of casual disinterest as he stared back at her, although she had the niggling feeling he could see through it. 

“What are you doing out here anyway?” she asked briskly. 

“Looking for you,” he said. “I saw Malfoy following you out here and I thought I’d better make sure he wasn’t about to slip you a Canary Cream in retaliation for your prank on his girlfriend.” 

“ _Our_ prank,” she corrected. “And won’t your date be annoyed when she finds out you’re following girls around in the dark under the guise of protecting them from your own products?” 

“Nah. Me and Ange are just mates. Besides if she knew Malfoy was skulking about after you she’d be out here quicker than me.” 

“Just mates?” she repeated, eyebrow cocked. 

“Just mates,” he replied assuredly. “Mates like you and Malfoy.” 

She laughed and rolled her eyes at him. “Draco Malfoy is not my mate.” 

“Good. I was starting to think you were pretty cool. I didn’t want that illusion broken.” 

“It’s not an illusion. I am cool.” 

“If you say so Prince.” He held his arm out to her. “Come on, let’s get inside to the warmth and away from whatever unsavoury business is going on in those bushes over there.” 

She took his arm with a smile as he led her back through the Entrance Hall and into the Great Hall. 

“Drink first?” he asked, spotting her looking warily at Nathan who seemed to be scouring the dancefloor looking for her. 

“Yes, please,” she said eagerly. 

“What are you avoiding Birdman for anyway?” 

She looked back at him, biting her lip before answering. “He was annoying me,” she said finally. “He kept talking about you.” 

He blinked at her before letting out a disbelieving laugh. “Me? God, everyone in this school is so obsessed with me.” 

She narrowed her eyes, looking sideways at him as they made it to the nearest table filled with glasses of magically refilling champagne flutes. 

“Why was he talking about me?” he asked, his eyebrows knitted together in confused amusement. 

“Well... He thinks you have a thing for me. And he kept talking about it and it was annoying. So I just needed to get away from him for a minute.” 

“Hmm,” Fred said with a knowing smile, handing her a glass. “Sounds like Nathan needs some tips on what not to talk to your date about. Shall I give him some pointers for you?” 

She noticed him skip over the main point of her annoyance with Nathan and a tiny part of her felt a little disappointed. 

“No thank you,” she said. “Considering you’re here with me whilst your date’s over there.” 

“Well that’s rule number one though isn’t it? Got to keep them guessing. Act as though you have loads of other options so they’ll feel special when you choose them in the end.” 

“How chivalrous. And what makes you think I’m one of your options?” 

He only winked in response before reaching into his robes to pull out a flask. “A pick me up,” he said. 

He popped open the lid, pouring some of the golden liquid into his champagne before attempting to pour some into Elara’s glass but she immediately covered it with her hand causing him to stop suddenly. 

“Oh come on!” he cried as if insulted. “You think I’d spike you at the Yule Ball?” 

“You know my position on this!” 

He chuckled, his brown eyes dancing before he lifted the flask to his lips and downed some of the drink inside. 

“See,” he said, arms outstretched. “No extra ears, boils or feathers.” 

She eyed him sceptically before reluctantly removing her hand from the top of her glass and allowing him to pour in some of the liquid which she guessed was Firewhisky. 

“Bottoms up,” he grinned, clinking his glass against hers. 

She raised the glass to her lips and in three gulps had downed the whole lot, grimacing as she felt the alcohol burn its way down her throat. 

“Nice,” he said impressed, before finishing the rest of his. 

She watched as her glass refilled on its own and Fred immediately topped it back up with some more Firewhisky. 

“I must admit, you are right to be cautious,” he conceded. “George and I have been working on a line of love potions.” 

“Love potions?” 

He nodded as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. 

“So if I fall in love with you tonight we’ll know it’s because you’ve spiked me?” 

“No,” he said leaning in close to her. “If you fall in love with me tonight we’ll know it’s because you’ve finally come to your senses.” 

He grinned and grabbed her hand before she could reply, pulling her through the dancing students and bopping his head to the music. He turned to face her, holding his glass in one hand and her hand in the other, swinging it energetically from side to side as they danced. Beside them Elsa Troyer was swirling to the music, the butterflies in her hair spinning dizzily. 

“Hey Elsa!” George shouted over the music towards her. “How many butterflies are in your hair?” 

“Twenty!” she called back to him before immediately twirling again blissfully. 

Elara grinned triumphantly at him as he groaned before pulling her close to him and leaning into her ear. “You win this one Prince.” 

She smiled back at him as he continued to dance with her, his eyes watching her cheerfully and she realised with a flip in her stomach that he was flirting. 

Fred Weasley was definitely flirting with her. 

Elara was distracted from his cheeky grin however when she spotted Heather waving at her through the crowd, arm in arm with Oran and surrounded by the dancing figures of Nathan, Angelina, Katie and George. She pulled Fred to join them and Heather immediately grabbed her into a hug, Fred still holding her hand behind her back. Elara could tell Heather was drunk. 

“Where have you been?!” Heather said before pulling her away from Fred to dance together. 

Elara shot Fred an apologetic look who placed his hand over his heart in mock betrayal in return. She turned from him to dance with Heather, unable to wipe the smile off her face. And there was a feeling there that she didn’t recognise. Not the anxiety and wishfulness that she experienced whenever she was with Draco, but a giddiness, an excited happiness that she couldn’t remember ever feeling before. Something that finally felt normal. 

The night wore on and Elara couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun. All of them danced together, singing loudly in each other's faces and wrapping their arms around one another, only pausing to drink from their glasses. The music filled her whole body to the brim with happiness and the atmosphere enveloped her in a carefree joy that was comfortable and reassuring. 

Occasionally Fred would grab her into a dance before one of their friends would obliviously join them, or he would surreptitiously hand her his flask from which they both drank together, giggling as they hid it from the others. She found herself catching his eye from time to time and feeling him getting a little closer each time they danced. 

She also spotted Draco a few times, unable to fully bring herself not to look when she spotted that unmistakable blond hair but realising for the first time, she had no desire to be part of his crowd. She had finally found her own group of friends. She finally felt like she belonged. 

Eventually the night was ending and all of them raucously climbed the stairs together, holding on to one another as they laughed and shouted. Even Oran who was normally so serious was giggling, covering his eyes with his hand at something Heather was saying. Fred nudged Elara and winked at the sight of the two of them. 

Heather pulled back from the group to wrap her arm around Elara’s neck, leaning close into her to whisper.

“Am I leading Oran on?” she slurred. “I don’t know if I want anything to happen with him.” 

Elara could smell the alcohol on her breath. “Why don’t you just sleep on it?” 

Heather stopped in her tracks, causing Elara to stumble. “I don’t want to sleep with him,” she said confusedly. 

“No, I said _sleep on it,_ not sleep with him!” 

“Oh,” Heather said with a hiccup before they both dissolved into fits of giggles. Elara realised then that she was just as drunk as Heather and that perhaps sharing that flask with Fred hadn’t been the best idea. 

Finally, after much stumbling, stopping and joking they made it to the portrait hole, watching on in peals of laughter as George drunkenly struggled to get through to the Common Room. 

“Hey Prince.” Fred appeared beside her, pulling her arm back from the crowd. “Come here, I want to show you something.” 

Elara stole a quick glance at her friends who were too busy trying to push George through the portrait hole to notice her sneak away giggling with Fred. He pulled her down the corridor until they were out of sight, him looking behind to make sure no one was around before turning to her. Even in the dimly lit corridor she could see his warm eyes slightly bloodshot and his hair more dishevelled than it had been at the start of the night. 

He was standing close to her before he spoke. “Look,” he said, opening his hand. 

Elara looked down at his hand to see a small, fluorescent blue butterfly. It looked like a well-used toy that had run out of battery as it gave a lifeless flutter in his hand and dimmed slightly. Elara gasped before bursting into laughter. 

“How?!” she snorted. 

He threw the butterfly over his shoulder and winked. “Magic.” 

Elara kept laughing as he watched her with a smirk. 

“Which means Prince!” he said loudly over her giggling. “That you lost the wager as Elsa Troyer does not have twenty butterflies in her hair. She now has nineteen.” 

She shook her head and wagged her finger at him. “Nuh-uh, that’s cheating.” 

“You can’t cheat if there’s no rules.” 

She crossed her arms and looked at him huffily but he only laughed in response before pulling her arms away from her body, his fingers lacing in hers. 

“So,” he said in a low voice, leaning in closer to her. He smelled like Firewhisky and cologne. “Have you fallen in love with me yet?” 

“No,” she whispered back. He was so close now, his alcohol-tinged breath falling on her face. 

“Another lie Prince,” he grinned before his lips found their way to hers, kissing her as one of his hands rose to her cheek, his fingers brushing against her jawline. She felt a flip in her stomach and her breath seemed to leave her body with a sigh as she grabbed the back of his robes, as if she could pull him in any closer. His lips were warm against hers, his touch soft yet firm. 

And just when she felt herself simmering with desire, and when her breath came back to her only in bursts between kisses, he pulled away and smiled mischievously at her, his lips still only inches from hers, so tauntingly close. 

“So, I’m guessing Nathan was right then?” she asked with a playful smile. He chuckled and kissed her again before throwing his arm over her shoulder and leading her back down the corridor, her question lingering in the air behind them. 


	8. The Night Before

Elara woke up the next morning and immediately wished she hadn’t. With a groan she fumbled with the drapes around her bed to reach for a glass of water. She was parched as if she hadn’t had any liquid in weeks, when really the problem was she’d drank far too many the night before. Her head was pounding and as she raised the water to her mouth she noticed her hand shaking. 

“Elara, are you awake?” she heard Heather say from the bed next to her. 

Elara groaned again in response. 

“Yeah, same here.” 

She could hear their roommate Kate chuckle and Elara sat up slowly to open the drapes around her bed. Kate was awake and fully dressed, fixing her hair in the mirror as Heather poked her head out from her bed, her hair fanning out wildly around her head. 

“Good night then girls?” Kate asked. 

“I think so,” Heather replied. “From the bits I can remember.” 

Kate laughed in response. 

“Who did you go with Kate? I don’t remember seeing you.” 

“Eddie Carmichael.” 

“The Ravenclaw?” Heather replied sounding deeply impressed. “Nice one Kate. He is a dish.” 

She grinned back at them. “He’s asked me to join him for breakfast this morning. How do I look?” 

She turned and held her arms out at her side, twisting from side to side to show them her full outfit. 

“Like a dream,” Elara said. 

Kate smiled at them both before glancing one last time in the mirror. She waved at them excitedly as Heather called out ‘good luck’ and she left the dormitory. 

“I need food,” Heather announced. 

Elara nodded emphatically. “God, I wish the house-elves did some sort of food delivery service.” 

Heather gasped and looked at Elara with wide eyes. “Oh my God, yes. Get us on the Board of Governors right now. Between my elevator idea and your food delivery service idea we could turn this school around.” 

“Come on,” Elara said reluctantly standing from her bed. “Let’s go downstairs.” 

Eventually they both managed to shower, get dressed and make their way to the Great Hall which was back to looking decidedly normal, all evidence of the previous night's frivolity cleared away. Elara reached for some fruit and a slice of toast, turning her nose up as Heather piled her plate high with a full English breakfast. The sight of Heather’s fried egg turned Elara’s stomach and she glanced away just in time to glimpse Draco sitting down at the Slytherin table, reaching for a coffee. 

Seeing him brought back memories of the night before, the way his hand had held her wrist, his breath coming out in little fogs of air in the cold as he spoke to her, the sincere look in his eyes. 

“I need to tell you something about last night,” she said, turning back to Heather. “About Draco.” 

“Wait!” Heather said holding up her hand. “I need coffee for this.” 

Elara waited impatiently as Heather poured herself a large coffee, stirring in some milk and taking a sip before sighing deeply. 

“Ok, tell me,” she said eventually, as if bracing herself for bad news. 

Elara told Heather the story of Draco following her outside the previous night, how he had stopped her and told her that she looked good, and how he had taken a step towards her and seemed reluctant to say anything more as soon as he saw Fred. 

“Do you think he was going to kiss you?” Heather asked, looking disturbed. 

“No,” Elara said resolutely. “It was something else. I don’t know but it didn’t feel like a game this time. Unless he’s just better at it now.” 

Heather took another sip of her coffee as she looked off to the side deep in thought. 

“He’s jealous,” she said finally. 

“What?” 

“Well, it makes sense doesn’t it? There you were looking radiant and happy, with a handsome date to the ball and no time to spare for even a thought of him. I bet he was trying to catch your eye all night but you were too busy having fun to notice him and he hated it. He’s no longer the centre of your little universe and he can’t stand it.” 

“He was never the centre of my universe,” Elara said defensively. 

“And then he’s followed you outside to speak to you finally. And my God, I bet he’s realised he’s in love with you or something!” 

“Oh, come off it.” 

The excited look on Heather’s face faded, her smile faltering as she seemed to come to some realisation in her theory. “Oh no,” she said. “This is not good.” 

“What’s not good?” 

“Draco liking you.” Her eyes darted to Elara as she lowered her coffee. “Elara, we both know the effect he has on you, don’t deny it! But we also both know that he is bad news. Not just in general on account of being a nasty little Death Eater wannabe, but bad news for you personally. If he likes you, he’ll be too proud to admit it and he’ll know he can’t do anything about it anyway. But he won’t allow you to be happy without him.” 

Elara took in Heather’s words and felt her mouth go dry. She didn’t want to believe what she was saying and she certainly wasn’t convinced that Draco did have a crush on her. However, if there was one thing Draco was good at, it was making Elara unhappy. And if that became his new sole purpose then she feared he would succeed with flying colours. 

“And it wouldn’t be like how he is now, the odd comment or ignoring you altogether. He’d be watching your every move, following you around and wanting you desperately. But if he can’t have you, he’ll make sure no one else can either.” 

A silence fell over the two of them as Elara used her fork to play with her food absentmindedly, her eyes falling again to the Slytherin table where she could make out the back of Draco’s blond hair. 

“You just have to be prepared,” Heather said gently. “But you can take him on, let him do his worst. Bring it on I say.” 

Elara smiled appreciatively at her friend. “Thanks Heather, but honestly, I think you’ve maybe gotten ahead of yourself here.” 

“Well I hope so,” she said, cutting into a sausage. “But just remember I’m always here to use a Knee-reversal hex on him at any time.” 

Elara sat quietly for a moment as Heather ate her breakfast. Heather was right about one thing at least, she would have to learn how to handle Draco Malfoy better. She’d already got one over on him once before, and then there was last night when she’d had one of the best nights she’d ever had at Hogwarts and Draco was no part of it. In fact, the biggest part of it was Fred Weasley. She felt her stomach flip at the memory of the way Fred’s eyes fell to her lips in the corridor last night. 

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you,” Elara said apprehensively. 

“Oh God Elara, I don’t know how much more I can take!” 

Elara smiled timidly at her. “I think you’ll like this one.” 

She took a deep breath as Heather looked at her expectantly, her knife and fork paused over her food. “Well?” 

“I kissed Fred Weasley last night,” she grinned, unable to contain the smile on her face. 

Heather gasped and slammed down her knife and fork, her eyes dancing with excitement. “Yes! Oh my God, yes!” she cried causing a few of the other Gryffindors to look over at them. “This is amazing news!” 

“Shh, keep it down,” Elara said although she couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“And? How was it?” 

“It was... nice. I mean, we were both drunk so I don’t know.” 

Heather opened her mouth and Elara knew she was about to barrage her with a whole bunch of questions but she stopped suddenly at the sight of both the Weasley twins coming towards them. She gave Elara a meaningful smile and Elara could feel a blush rise in her cheeks as she turned hastily to her bowl of fruit, barely looking up as Fred sat beside her, George taking a seat beside Heather. 

“Good morning!” George said brightly. “How are we all feeling?” 

“Like death,” Heather replied. 

“What a pity!” 

“Don’t start him,” Fred said miserably. “This slimy git is no friend to us anymore, he has betrayed us beyond forgiveness. I can’t even look at him without feeling rage and we have the same face! I get angry just looking in mirrors now.” 

George laughed cheerfully. 

“Oh dear,” Elara said. “What’s he done now?” 

“Tell them George. Look them in the eye and tell them what you’ve done.” 

George grinned and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small purple bottle with bold green writing across the front. 

“This my friends,” he said, “is called Hang-Nover and it is a brilliant little tonic. You take one shot of this almighty liquid a couple of hours before any night of drinking and depravity, and it will ensure that the next day you wake up feeling fresh as a daisy with no hangover in sight. Knowing that the Yule Ball would deteriorate into a drunken night of mayhem, I ordered it weeks ago.” 

“And you didn’t share this with us because?” Heather said through gritted teeth. 

“I thought about it. But then I thought what’s the one thing I value above all else?” he paused, looking at them all expectantly. When no one answered he continued on blithely. “Entertainment! And so then I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be really funny if the day after the Yule Ball everyone was hungover except me and I could watch them all struggle. And so here we are.” 

A tense silence greeted his words as he smiled happily at them all. 

“George,” Heather said, “I’m seriously considering stabbing you repeatedly in the face with this fork.” 

George scooted down a little on the bench but he was still smiling. 

“He’s been like this all morning,” Fred said grumpily. “I’ve been trying to think of a hex I can use on him but nothing horrible enough has come to mind yet.” 

Elara shook her head at George in disappointment and turned back to her fruit salad which looked more unappetising by the minute. 

“Well, it looks like everyone had a fun night,” George continued on happily. “Especially you Heather, I think you even managed to make Oran Byrne _smile_! Well, when he had a second to breathe between you snogging him.” 

Elara grinned at her friend whose cheeks pinked under her freckles. 

“Don’t worry. You weren’t the only one who got up to no good last night. My dear brother Fred came stumbling into bed late too but he won’t tell me who he was burning the midnight oil with.” 

Heathers eyes widened and Elara kicked her under the table as Fred looked down, pretending to be suddenly interested in the scratch on the table in front of him. George didn’t miss any of it however as he quickly looked between all three of them, confused curiosity on his face. 

“What? What am I missing?” he asked. 

No one said anything, Elara forcing herself to eat a grape to occupy herself. 

“Tell me!” he exclaimed. “What do you all know that I don’t?” 

Again no one replied and George groaned in frustration. 

“Fine!” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out another bottle, the same colour and size as the first one but filled with little round pills instead of liquid. “This is No-Hang-Nover. Same concept as before but you take it the day after aforementioned drinking and depravity. One of these little babies and your hangovers will be gone.” 

All three of them glared at him. 

“Give me them now,” Elara said sternly. 

“Only if you promise to tell me what it is you’re all hiding from me.” 

“Fine,” Heather said, grabbing the bottle from his hand too quickly for him to react and immediately opening it and swallowing one back before handing one to Elara and Fred. 

Elara gulped down the pill hastily with some orange juice and sat impatiently as she waited for the effects to work. Thankfully in almost no time at all, a warm tingling sensation was working its way from her stomach to the ends of her toes and fingers as her headache disappeared and her shaky hands steadied themselves. 

“George,” Elara said, “if I wasn’t feeling so overjoyed at how good I feel right now, I swear I’d kill you.” 

“I can’t believe we’re related,” Fred added. “You are the worst person that’s ever existed.” 

“Well now that I’ve cured all of you ungrateful gits,” George said, “you can tell me what it is you know about Fred’s late-night escapades.” 

“Fred and Elara kissed last night!” Heather blurted out excitedly. 

Elara could feel heat rising in her face and dared not to look at Fred who she could feel stiffen beside her. George however was looking between the two of them with wide eyes and a look of pure jubilation on his face. And it seemed that finally, words had failed him. 

“I.. This is...” he stammered. “This is the best news ever.” 

“Isn’t it?!” Heather said clapping her hands excitedly. 

“Stop it you two,” Elara said, feeling truly embarrassed now. “It’s not that big a deal.” 

“Not that big a deal?!” George cried incredulously. “It is the biggest deal! God, I need to write and tell mum.” 

“No you don’t!” Fred said hastily. 

“You’re right. We’ll put an announcement in the paper.” 

Elara groaned. 

“How was it Elara?” George said, turning to her with a glint in his eye. “Did my brother’s kissing techniques meet your standards.” 

“I am not getting into this with you.” 

George grinned. “You sly dogs! I should have known. You were both all over each other all bloody night.” 

“No we were not!” 

“Oh yes you were. Dancing and sharing drinks and giggling together. It would have been cute if it wasn’t so nauseating.” 

“It’s not a big deal,” Elara said again forcefully. “We’d both had a little bit too much to drink and got carried away. Just a drunken kiss, that’s it.” 

George let out a low whistle. “Wow Elara, you really know how to let a guy down. Sorry Freddie.” 

Fred put his hand over his heart and closed his eyes in mock despair. “I am devastated. _Just a drunken kiss_. And here was me ready to make the leap from a friendship bracelet to a diamond ring.” 

“It is the logical next step after all.” 

Elara blushed as Heather laughed gleefully. 

“All of you stop it,” Elara said, giving them all a warning look even though her face was burning furiously. “Can’t we just make fun of Heather and Oran again?” 

“Oh we will,” George said. “But I’d prefer to do that when Oran is here too.” 

“You wouldn’t dare,” Heather growled. 

“Oh but I would MacDougall,” George grinned widely. “I really would.” 

The four of them sat together, eating their breakfast and chatting loudly about the Yule Ball, Elara avoiding Fred’s eye as they spoke. Nathan and Oran joined them not long after and Elara was happy to see Heather blush slightly as Oran sat down next to her, although he made no mention of the night before. 

The whole castle had a lazy, Boxing Day feel about it, with most students lounging around at the dining tables or going for long walks through the courtyard. After an hour of chatter, they finally decided to play a game of Exploding Snap to pass away the afternoon and Elara volunteered to go to the Common Room to fetch the cards. She had just left the Great Hall when she heard Fred call on her from behind. 

“Hey, Elara! Wait up.” 

She turned and smiled as she waited for him, his red hair bouncing as he jogged towards her. “Can I talk to you?” he asked. 

“Sure,” she said, following him into an empty classroom as he closed the door behind them. 

She turned to face him and could feel her heart rate quicken at the thought of being alone again with him, memories of his lips on hers and his hands as they brushed through her hair causing her to shift uncomfortably. 

“I just wanted to make sure that we were still good,” he said. “That nothing is going to be awkward between us.” 

Why was he not blushing? She wondered frustratedly. Why was all of this always so easy for him? 

“Of course,” she replied. “Like I said before, just too much to drink.” 

“And the fact that you’ve completely fallen in love with me,” he said, nodding seriously but with the slightest hint of a smirk. 

She laughed and shook her head at him. “You’ll need a love potion for that to happen.” 

He grinned back at her and she felt herself relax. This was easy, she thought. It was just Fred. She didn’t know why she had worried about it before. 

“As long as we’re good, Prince,” he said finally. “Still friends?” 

She raised her arm showing the friendship bracelet, the silver pendant catching the light streaming in through the window. “Best friends,” she replied. 

“Better not say that in front of Heather." 

“Never,” she agreed. “Come on, let’s get the cards so I can kick your arse at Exploding Snap.” 

The two of them walked together to the Common Room, easily falling back into their old ways of joking and teasing one another. He really did make her laugh, she thought, and as they walked together she noticed new things too, like the way he sometimes ran his hand through his hair when he laughed, and did he always have such a nice smile?

And that’s when she realised... 

She was falling for Fred Weasley. 


	9. New Year's Eve

Elara and Heather made their way downstairs from the girl's dorm to the Common Room, the noises of laughter and the low bass of music greeting their ears. It was already busy, despite the New Year's Eve party only just beginning, and Elara listened as Heather spoke at length about her resolutions for the year. 

“.. and obviously to lose weight,” she finished. 

“You’ve got to be joking Heather,” Elara said in disappointment. 

“I’m not! I’ve eaten so many mince pies the last few days you’ll be rolling me down these stairs soon.” 

“Stop it.” 

“Although maybe my resolution should really be to stop kissing Oran every time I’m drunk.” 

“Sure,” Elara said unconvinced. “And will that resolution be starting January the first at midnight? Or January the first when you wake up tomorrow.” 

“I’ll see how I feel,” Heather grinned mischeviously causing Elara to shake her head with a knowing smile. 

“What about you?” Heather asked. “Any New Year’s resolutions?” 

Elara thought on it. Perhaps to be braver or to stop being such a pushover? Or maybe to avoid Draco Malfoy for good? 

She shrugged instead. “Not that I can think of.” 

They made their way to Nathan and Oran who were standing off to the side, deep in conversation about the next Triwizard task. They barely acknowledged the girls as they stood beside them so Elara turned to Heather and wriggled her eyebrows at Oran, earning herself a nudge on the ribs from her. 

“Behave,” Heather growled under her breath. 

Elara laughed as Nathan and Oran continued chatting obliviously. 

“I’ll get the drinks,” Elara said to Heather by way of an apology. 

She made her way through the groups of students standing in packs with their friends, the prefects milling around caught somewhere between enjoying themselves and ensuring none of the younger students were drinking alcohol. All of the tables had been pushed to the far end of the room, stacked high with platters of chocolates, crackers, mince pies and crisps. One table had been specifically reserved for bottles and bottles of Butterbeer and glasses of champagne. The Weasley twins had certainly put on a good spread she thought as she reached the table, popping a crisp in her mouth. 

She picked up a glass of champagne just as a thought came to her head causing her to pause with her eyebrows furrowed. Over the Christmas break, the Weasley’s had been particularly keen to test out some of their new inventions and Elara wouldn’t put it past them to think causing everyone to grow antlers during the Hogmanay celebrations would be a good bit of fun. She raised the glass to her nose and sniffed before shrugging to herself. It seemed fine enough. 

“I cannot believe I have just witnessed you perform a sniff test,” she heard from beside her. She turned to see Fred coming towards her, his face lit up with amusement as he shook his head at her. “I don’t know what George and I have done to earn such distrust from you Elara!” 

“I prefer to take a preventative approach to these things,” she said smartly. “Y’know, rather safe than sorry and all that. Besides, I can imagine you’d enjoy it very much if all the Gryffindor girls suddenly fell in love with you after they’d inadvertently drank a love potion. Right in time for a New Year’s kiss too, how convenient.” 

“How many times do I need to tell you? I don’t need love potions for girls to fall in love with me. Look at you for example.” 

She narrowed her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

“Well, you’ve clearly fallen head over heels for me and there was no love potion involved.” 

“Is that so?” 

“Oh yes, let’s look at the evidence shall we?” he said, holding up his hand to tick off each point with his fingers. “Ditching your date at the Yule Ball for me, snogging me in the corridor, and then the bracelet you never take off because it reminds you of me.” 

“Why would I need reminding of you when you follow me around everywhere?” 

He gave an overdramatic roll of his eyes as he crossed his arms at her. 

“Wait,” she said. “That isn’t part of your reconnaissance stuff is it? Watching my every move?” 

“That suspicion again!” he exclaimed, although Elara was pleased to see he was laughing, the corners of his eyes crinkling and that wonderful smile giving her butterflies in her stomach. 

“I’m always suspicious with you Weasley,” she said before picking up one of the small chocolates on the table and popping it in her mouth with a smile. 

He was smirking back at her, his eyes on hers. She could smell his cologne, reminding her of their night in the dark corridor and causing her stomach to seemingly do a backflip. 

“Well it’s completely unwarranted. Besides,” he leaned in close to her ear, his breath raising goosebumps along her skin, “it’s not the drink you should be worried about, it’s the chocolates.” 

He leaned back and winked at her before laughing heartily as she spat the half-chewed chocolate into her hand, glaring at him. 

“Just joking,” he grinned before walking from her, her eyes following him as he cheerily made his way over to George and Lee Jordan. 

She sighed even though the corners of her mouth twitched. How he could annoy her and make her laugh all at once. She threw the rest of the chocolate into the nearest bin with a grimace before wiping her hand with some napkins and grabbing drinks to take back to Heather. 

“What took you so long? I’m parched!” Heather said, grabbing the glass from her hand. 

“The Weasley’s provided the drinks, I had to make sure they were safe.” 

“Good thinking,” Heather said appreciatively before hastily gulping down some of her champagne. 

“Whoa, slow down there!” 

Heather leaned into Elara, lowering her voice. “I’m going to need it if I have to listen to these two talk about the Triwizard Tournament all night.” 

Elara looked between Nathan and Oran who were discussing what they would rather go up against, one full-grown giant or twenty blast-ended skrewts as Heather rolled her eyes to the ceiling. 

“Are you sure it’s not some Dutch courage for Oran you’re after,” Elara taunted. 

Heather gave her a long look. “Says the girl who just spent the last five minutes giggling and flirting with Fred Weasley.” 

“I was not!” 

“Yes you were, I saw you!” 

They both glared at one another before Elara cracked first, her small smile dissolving into laughter as Heather reluctantly chuckled back. 

“What _are_ we going to do with these Gryffindor boys?” Heather said with a small, dramatic sigh. 

“I can think of a few things,” Elara replied earning a giggle from Heather. 

Nathan turned to them, finally acknowledging their presence. “What are you two giggling about now?” 

“Just trying to get your attention,” Elara lied with a sweet smile. 

“Sure you were.” 

“They love their secrets,” Oran said before taking a swig of his drink. “They’re always whispering about something.” 

“Perhaps we were whispering about you,” Elara said causing Heather to stomp on her foot to shut her up as the tips of Oran’s ears tinged pink. 

“Or Fred Weasley?” Oran retorted. 

Elara shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t know what you mean.” 

“Oh come on, I know you kissed him at the Yule Ball.” 

“Ah-ha!” Nathan shouted triumphantly, grinning at Elara. “I told you he liked you!” 

Elara could feel her cheeks burn as she turned back to Oran. “And who told you that?” 

“George,” he said simply. 

“Of course he did.” 

“I feel a little bad now,” Nathan said, scratching the back of his head. “If I knew he liked you that much I wouldn’t have asked you to the ball.” 

“What does it matter now anyway?” Heather said. “They both went to the ball with different people and ended up together by the end of the night. As the old saying goes, love finds a way!” 

“Oh, shut up, all of you,” Elara grumbled as they all laughed. 

The night wore on, the partygoers growing louder as they all occasionally glanced at the clock and their watches, waiting for the countdown to the New Year. Elara stood with Heather, Nathan and Oran for most of the night, finally managing to convince them all to change the subject as they worked their way through way too much food and a good helping of champagne and Butterbeers. 

She also couldn’t help but glance over at Fred every now and then to see him stand with George and Lee Jordan, his laughter reaching her ears as he stood with one hand in his pocket, occasionally sipping on his drink. She hoped he’d perhaps come over to join them at some point but he didn’t, and she didn’t want to embarrass herself by inserting herself into his conversation with his friends. 

It was nearing midnight when she glanced back at him again. George had disappeared somewhere as Fred spoke to Lee, and Elara bit her lip as she watched him, deep in thought. 

“Y’know,” Heather said quietly from beside her, “there’s only 15 seconds until midnight. Why don’t you use some of that Gryffindor bravery and just go over to him already?” 

Elara turned to look at her friend, taking a deep breath. With an encouraging look, Heather reached over and took the drink from her hand before pushing her none too delicately forward. Elara stumbled a little before nudging her way through the crowd of excitable students as Fred’s eyes landed on her. He immediately put down his drink and left Lee standing mid-conversation as he took a step forward and waited for her with a glint in his eye. Everyone had cheerfully started the countdown towards the New Year as her heart raced. 

_“10... 9... 8...”_

“Make way for the Prince!” Fred bellowed to the crowd blocking Elara’s path before grabbing her hand and pulling her through the throng of people towards him. 

_“7... 6...”_

“I knew you’d come looking for me eventually,” he said assuredly. His fingers were laced in hers and Elara felt a burst of euphoria erupt somewhere in her chest. 

“Only because I know you wouldn’t have the balls to come to me.” 

_“5...4...”_

He smirked back at her and pulled her even closer so her body was pressed against his. “And because you’re in love with me.” 

_“3... 2...”_

“Oh shut up, Weasley.” 

_“1...”_

"Gladly."

And then his lips were on hers as the Common Room erupted into cheers and bangs and cries of ‘Happy New Year!’, but to Elara they may as well not have been there at all. All that mattered was the feeling of Fred’s lips and of his fingers laced in hers as his other hand cupped her cheek. And all that she cared about was how happy she felt. The cheers and fireworks could have come from within her own chest as elation seemed to settle into her very bones. This was contentment, she thought. 

This was happiness. 

They parted only for a moment before he snuck in one last quick kiss with a sly smile as they were accosted by their friends. Elara grinned and blushed as Heather hugged her and kissed her on the cheek before she was hugging Nathan then Oran then George and then just about anyone else who happened to be near her. 

The Common Room was a shower of colours as fireworks erupted all around them, some of the students ducking whenever one flew a little too close, and the greens, blues, purples and yellows reflecting in her eyes. She stood and watched them as Heather held her hand. 

“Happy New Year bestie,” Heather said from beside her. 

“Happy New Year,” Elara grinned. 

She dragged her eyes away from the indoor display to glance at Fred who was looking back at her, giving her a small smile and the subtlest of winks. 

* * *

“Elara and Fred, sitting in a tree!” 

Elara and Heather were the first back to their dorm which was lucky since Heather was singing loudly as she twirled in circles with her arms outstretched. 

“No, wait!” she paused with a grin before launching back into song. “Elara and Fred, on New Year's Eve, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” 

“What age are you again?” 

“First comes the bracelet! Then comes the swooning! Then comes Draco Malfoy and he’s bloody fuming!” 

She burst into laughter and Elara couldn’t help but giggle along as she pulled on her pyjamas and rolled her eyes at her. 

“You are a child,” Elara said. 

Heather was still laughing at her own joke as Elara climbed into bed. 

“I love that you kissed him in front of everyone,” Heather said gleefully. 

“Yeah, I didn’t really think that part through.” 

“Which means the whole school will know by tomorrow morning, which also means Malfoy will know by tomorrow morning too.” 

“Can we not talk about Draco please?” Elara huffed. “I was having a good night.” 

“You’re right,” Heather said solemnly. “No more mentions of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Wait no, not the Dark Lord. The mini wannabe version I mean.” 

“Go to bed Heather,” Elara said, half-amusedly. “You’re drunk.” 

“Yeah. You’re right again.” 

Elara bid her goodnight as she pulled the curtains around her bed and lay down, listening to Heather clattering around the room loudly as she got ready for bed. She grinned to herself at the thought of being able to also make fun of her tomorrow for kissing Oran Byrne again, breaking her New Year’s resolution within the first hour. 

Finally, Heather turned off the light as they both settled down to sleep. Elara was grateful for the darkness as she closed her eyes and pictured Fred’s face, his warm brown eyes and red hair, and his smile as he grinned cheekily at her. Her heart filled with joy as she smiled. There was nothing that could rain on her parade now, she thought wrongly. 


	10. Her Mother's Letter

The festive cheer had well and truly evaporated from the castle as the post-Christmas blues settled itself within its walls. On their first day back Elara and Heather had awoken late, having to skip breakfast altogether to run to class, throwing their whole day into a theme of disarray and disorganisation. The teachers certainly didn’t seem sympathetic to their mood either as each class brought with it more homework and deadlines than Elara had even thought possible. 

The two of them sat gloomily in the Common Room having barely survived their first day back, books and papers spread before them as Elara gritted her teeth at the sounds of a few first years nearby loudly playing chess. The warmth from the fire and glowing light from the lamps filled her with a sleepy and cosy desire to nap, and she re-read the sentence in the book on her lap with a sigh as she tried to take in the words to no avail. 

“O.W.L’s are the work of the devil,” Heather moaned, throwing down her quill in exasperation. 

“I should have done more work over the break,” Elara mumbled regretfully. 

“It’s the teachers fault! They were the ones who threw us a bloody Yule Ball.” 

“To be fair that was one day,” Elara said, finally looking up from her book. “And Christmas day at that, we wouldn’t have been doing homework then either way.” 

“This is no time for reason Elara,” Heather grumbled. 

A commotion of noise reached their ears and Elara turned to see Nathan, Oran, Fred and George clamber through the portrait hole chatting noisily. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Fred, a warm happiness spreading in her chest causing her to smile despite herself. His eyes landed on her and he grinned back as all of them came to where they sat at the table, full of chatter as they each threw themselves on to the sofa and chairs beside them. 

Fred situated himself beside Elara and leaned in close to her to look at the book she was reading, their shoulders touching. 

“Ahh, Achievements in Charming,” he said, reading the book title. “Riveting stuff that! It would also be a fitting title for my autobiography don’t you think?” 

She rolled her eyes even though she grinned back at him. “Very funny Weasley.” 

“I can see you two have had a joyous first day back,” George said indicating the mountain of homework on the table. 

“O.W.L’s suck,” Nathan said emphatically as George and Fred nodded in sympathetic understanding. “Oh, here Elara,” he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an envelope. “A letter came for you this morning.” 

She took it from him, glad to have something else to read that wasn’t related to homework. Turning the envelope over in her hand she noticed her mother's handwriting and inwardly sighed. It would probably be all about O.W.L’s too, there really was no escape. 

She tore it open and read the slanted, neat cursive. 

_Dear Elara,_

_I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch over the Christmas period, I was kept extremely busy assisting in the organisation of the annual St. Mungo’s Christmas Ball which I’m happy to report was a complete success, raising thousands of Galleons and attended by some of the very best in our wizarding community. I do trust that you were pleased with your gifts however and that you enjoyed a ball all of your own, the Yule Ball._

_This year at school is an all important one for you and I do hope that you are not allowing the Triwizard Tournament or Christmas parties to distract you from your real goal, to obtain top grades in your O.W.L’s and to dedicate yourself to your education._

Elara could already feel her eyes rolling into the back of her head and it took real effort not to stop reading there and then to join in with the laughter and jokes with her friends. She reluctantly read on instead. 

_Speaking of distractions, my reason for writing to you today is in the hope that you will heed my warning as I impart some advice. I admit to having been alarmed upon hearing some talk regarding your activities at school, in particular your associations with certain boys._

_Whilst I do understand that you are now a young, curious woman who is sure to attract attention, I implore you to keep in mind your future prospects at all times. I understand the pull to those who may seem exciting and different, but there is no joy to be found in unimpressive men and no pride in becoming the sole provider for your family when that day comes._

_Please take this as it is intended, motherly advice from one who does not wish their daughter to make the same mistakes she did. If only my mother had written to me with the same advice when I was your age, my life could have turned out very differently._

_Your grandmother sends her love and we look forward to seeing you come summer. Give our regards to Draco._

_With love,_

_Mum_

Elara looked up and stared straight ahead, her blood pounding in her ears and her hand shaking as she crumpled the letter in her fist. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but her own thoughts, the noises of the Common Room drowned out by her rage. 

The audacity of her, she thought. The sneering judgment oozing from each sentence. Her ability in so few, politely put words to make her cruel position clear. That Fred Weasley was too poor and too common for her. 

“Are you ok?” she heard Heather ask quietly but Elara was already on her feet, storming towards the portrait hole and pushing it open with more force than she intended. 

“Where are you going?” she heard Heather call after her. “It’s almost curfew!” 

But Elara didn’t care, she threw herself out of the portrait hole and marched on, her footstep heavy on the stone floor as the sound echoed in her ears. She descended deeper into the castle, barely noticing the last few stragglers hurrying back to their common room as she went, her anger palpable and her breathing heavy. She knew exactly whose fault this was and she had had enough. 

The castle grew chillier and darker the further down she went, the torches on the wall casting eerie shadows across her path. She knew she was close to the Slytherin Common Room now, and just as she started to doubt her plan she saw a student up ahead, tiny in stature and obviously a first year dressed in that familiar black and green uniform. 

“You!” she called to him. The student turned to her with wide eyes that narrowed suspiciously glimpsing her Gryffindor uniform. “Get me Draco Malfoy now!” 

The boy threw her a dirty look before mumbling a quiet password to the wall in front of him and disappearing behind the door. A moment later the door reopened and Draco Malfoy emerged, a small look of surprise of his face as he smirked at her and closed the door behind him. 

“Elara,” he said smoothly, coming towards her. “What a pleasant surprise.” 

She had no times for his games and her words came out sharp and brittle as she brandished the letter in her hand at him. “Next time you write to your mother Draco, you leave your little stories of me out of it.” 

Draco’s grey eyes swept from her face to the letter in her hand and back again, a look of realisation coming over him. “Ah, I see Mrs Prince has sent her annual letter to her daughter.” 

“Yes,” Elara said angrily, “full of warnings because of gossip whispered to her by your mother.” 

Draco smiled at her as he spoke calmly, his voice a stark contrast to her shaking heightened one. “We are only looking out for you.” 

“Well I don’t need you, of all people, to look out for me,” she snapped. 

“Come on,” he said with an infuriating laugh. “You can’t expect after all these years of friendship, for me not to act in your best interests.” 

“Friendship?!” her voice was shrill as she repeated the word, sounding almost hysterical in her disbelief. “You’ve made my life at this school a living hell over these last few years!” 

“It's only been hell because you’ve never learned how to take a joke.” 

She felt an impulsive urge to hit him then. The callousness of him to belittle her merciless experience at his hands as nothing more than a little joke. Her hands were shaking at her side as she stared back at him in disbelief. She couldn’t even bare to look at him anymore. “I want you to stay out of my life,” she said through gritted teeth, her voice shaking with anger. 

She could see the amusement in his eyes begin to fade as he looked back at her with a flicker of irritation. 

“That’ll be hard when you’re visiting my house every summer will it not?” 

“No,” she retorted. “There will be no more summers Draco. Whatever this is with us is over. I’m finished.” 

She turned from him and made to walk back down the corridor when she heard his quick step behind her. 

“Well, I’m not!” 

She stopped and closed her eyes in frustration, letting out a deep breath and trying her hardest to calm her heartrate. She could hear him stop behind her too, waiting expectantly for her to answer. She should just ignore him and walk away, she knew that, but she couldn’t help it as she turned on her heel to face him. 

Her breath caught in her throat at how close he was to her, only a footstep away, and she willed herself to stare back at him as he held her gaze, his face tight with anger and determination. 

“You know as well as I do Elara, that you and I will never be free from one another,” he said with a tone of impatience. She could feel a panic rise in her chest, her heart pounding as his words crushed her with their weight. “Our families are unique which means that we are special. I know everything about you. I know you better than you know yourself and I can see through this little spectacle you’re putting on now.” 

His words were like a tornado, destroying her newfound happiness with no remorse as they raged towards her. 

“You can have your dalliances with Nathan Bird and whatever Weasley twin it is this week but none of them will understand you the way I do. And at the end of it all you know that it will always be me and you.” 

And then she watched in alarm, her body rooted to the spot as he took a step to close the gap between them and reached his hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her cheek. The gesture was too intimate and Elara felt like she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs as his eyes lingered on hers. 

“Draco?” a voice called. 

Draco closed his eyes and sighed in irritation, his hand dropping to his side as Elara glanced over his shoulder to see Pansy Parkinson standing at the door to the Slytherin Common Room, her eyes narrowed in disbelief, a quiet fury building within them. The sight of Pansy there jolted Elara back to reality as her eyes shifted wildly from her to Draco and she took a step backwards, her chest rising and falling with each breath. 

She turned and walked from the dungeons as quickly as she could, not daring to look back as her mind raced and her hands shook. She wanted nothing more than to break into a run but she refused to let Draco and Pansy see her run from them. She walked blindly on, her legs seeming to have a mind of their own as they carried her back through the castle. 

She couldn’t face the Gryffindor Common Room. Not right now. 

Seeing an empty classroom, she rushed through the door, closing it behind her and leaning against it as her body seemed to deflate, the air rushing from her lungs. And suddenly, from nowhere, she began to sob as she raised a hand to cover her mouth. 

His words were replaying over and over in her head, racing so fast that she could barely seize on any one of them, and she felt gripped by an unrelenting fear. She didn’t want to believe what he had said and she knew she shouldn’t. But the words that had come out of his mouth were all thoughts she herself had been kept awake with in the lonely dark of the night. Hearing him say them made it all suddenly feel real. 

How could she ever escape who she truly was, who her mother had raised her to be? That cruelty and sharpness within her that escaped every now and then to punish any who crossed her. Who was she to think she was strong enough to break the cycle? As if she could somehow possess the strength to overcome the very blood that ran through her veins. 

Her family would always be her true calling in the end, the darkness and malice within just waiting to consume her until that was all she was, just like it had the rest of her relatives. Her life was laid out before her, with wealth, privilege and arrogance. A life filled with Malfoys, not Weasleys. 

She let out another choked sob as the image of Fred came to her with his warm eyes and mischievous smile. And she realised then that when she was with him, she didn’t feel that dark creature within her even so much as stir. It was as if being with him made her good by default. 

And then her heart sank. She however, could never be good enough for Fred. Fred was just and light and decent. Her selfishness would know no bounds if she trapped him within her web. He deserved someone better she thought, someone who could match his light to make it dazzle. Someone to help him shine even brighter. 

She was under no illusion that she could ever be one to make that decision for him however. Not when Pansy Parkinson’s beady eyes had caught Draco’s fingers as they brushed through her hair. Not whilst Pansy Parkinson had a mouth and a penchant for gossip. 

* * *

Elara sat alone at the Gryffindor dining table, keeping her eyes lowered to the bowl of cereal which lay untouched before her. She had left the Gryffindor Common Room before Heather had even woken up, unable to sleep and dreading Heather’s unrelenting questions about her whereabouts the night before. She felt queasy as she pictured Draco’s eyes on hers, his hand brushing through her hair. 

She glanced up in time to see Heather storming towards her, her eyes wide and a look of betrayal on her face. “You didn’t even wait for me!” she snapped as she threw herself down on to the bench in front of her. “And did you even sleep last night? You look terrible!” 

Elara sighed and let the spoon she was holding clatter to the bowl as she ran a hand through her hair. 

“I need to speak to you.” she said. Her voice sounded small and weary, and she felt like what little energy she possessed was depleting by the minute. 

“Where on earth did you get to last night?” Heather asked. “I didn’t even hear you come in.” 

Elara made to answer but was distracted by the sight of Lavender Brown approaching the table and stopping behind Heather, her face sneering as Elara looked up at her. Heather turned her head to follow Elara’s gaze and was about to say hello when Lavendar cut her off. 

“From Fred Weasley to Draco Malfoy,” she said to Elara with distaste. “What a fall from grace.” 

“What is she talking about?” Heather asked urgently. 

“Oh didn’t she tell you?” Lavender said. “About her late-night rendezvous with Draco Malfoy?” 

Elara’s heart sank into the pits of her stomach as Heather rounded on her, eyes wide. “What?!” 

“It looks like the Gryffindor’s have a snake in our midst,” Lavender sneered. 

“I highly suggest you walk away now,” Heather growled. “Before I change your name from Lavendar Brown to Lavendar black and blue.” 

Lavender threw them one last glare before storming away to join her friends at the other end of table. Elara noticed other Gryffindors arriving in the Great Hall now too, many of them looking at her with the same look Lavender had just given her. 

Heather turned back to Elara with a thunderous look in her eye. “Elara,” she said severely. 

“It’s not what it sounds like.” 

“Were you or were you not with Draco Malfoy last night?” 

“I was,” she said before adding hastily, “but I swear Heather, nothing happened.” 

“Nothing happened?!” Heather cried incredulously. “What the fuck Elara?! Why were you with him in the first place?!” 

“Because of this,” she replied, reaching into her pocket and handing Heather her mother’s letter. 

Heather snatched the letter from her hand before opening it and reading it quickly, her eyes moving rapidly over the page. 

“So?” she said when she finished. “Your mother’s a heartless crow, we always knew this.” 

“Don’t you see what she’s saying? She knows about Fred!” 

“Big deal! What’s that got to do with Malfoy?” 

“It’s because of him that she knows!” Elara words were tumbling out quickly in a frantic attempt to make Heather understand. “He’s been telling his mother who in turn told my mother!” 

“And what Elara?! Who cares? Seriously! Who cares if Malfoy is obsessed with you to the point that he writes little tales to his mother about you?!” 

Elara stopped and sighed, looking back into Heather’s face which was twisted in a disappointed anger. 

“So this is why you went to see him last night?!” Heather asked, holding up the letter. 

Elara nodded. “I was just so angry Heather. I told him to stay away from me and that I wouldn’t be going back to his over the summer ever again, and then...” 

“And then what?” 

Heather’s voice was sharp as she waited impatiently for Elara to continue. 

“And then Pansy saw.” 

Heather stared at her. “Pansy saw what exactly?” 

Elara took a deep breath and shifted in her seat. She could barely bring herself to meet Heather’s eye as she spoke. “She saw him touching my hair.” 

A tense silence greeted her words and Elara dared a glance at Heather who was looking back at her with her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean he was touching your hair?” 

“I don’t know, as in he was touching it. Tucking it behind my ear.” 

Heather let out a sound of disgust as she shook her head at Elara. Elara could feel the disappointment from her icy stare and wished she could crawl under the table to shield herself from the shame that washed over her. 

“It all happened so quickly,” she said quietly. “Nothing else happened I swear. Pansy came out and I left after that. That was it, I promise.” 

Heather threw the letter back across to Elara where it landed on the table in front of her. “Jesus Christ Elara,” she whispered irritably. “You better hope you see Fred before he hears about this.” 

At the thought of Fred, Elara's heart sank. 

“I know,” she mumbled. “I’ll need to explain before he hears from anyone else.” 

And then she spotted Fred, George and Lee enter the Great Hall, all of them walking towards the Gryffindor table, and her stomach dropped as the three of them marched straight past where she and Heather sat without even a second glance. 

“Looks like you’re too late,” Heather said as she watched their retreating backs. 

* * *

It was truly a testament to Draco Malfoy’s universal unpopularity that even Elara’s brief association with him led her to experience her worst day ever at Hogwarts. Pansy had certainly been efficient in ensuring the whole school heard about their late-night meeting although Elara wasn’t sure if Chinese whispers had played a part in exaggerating the events as they usually did in these circumstances. 

She expected the glares and looks of disgust from her fellow Gryffindors, and really that was nothing new as there had always been those suspicious of her due to who her family was. What she hadn’t been prepared for was the comments and snide remarks from the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws too who seemed take offence to her on Fred’s behalf. Heather stuck by her side all day although she didn’t say much and had taken to responding to Elara with one-word answers only. 

It was for these reasons that Elara hid away after class in the library, in the darkest corner she could find and concealed behind a stack of books piled in front of her. She whiled away the whole night there catching up on her homework until Madam Pince ushered her out hastily at closing time. Reluctantly she made her way back to the Common Room, dragging her feet to postpone the inevitable. She had heard that Harry Potter possessed an invisibility cloak and wondered vaguely if he would be amenable to lending it out. 

She opened the portrait hole to find the Common Room thankfully quiet and she quickly strode towards the stairs leading to the dorm when she heard someone speak to her. 

“Hey.” 

She stopped in her tracks to see Fred sat on one of the armchairs, moving to sit up from his slouched position as his eye caught hers. 

“Hey,” she said back quietly, walking over and dumping her bag down as she sat on the edge of the sofa across from him. She crossed her arms on her lap and stared back at him timidly as he scratched the back of his head. 

“Where have you been?” he asked. “I’ve been waiting for you.” 

“Oh. Sorry, I’ve been in the library.” 

He nodded as an uncomfortable silence fell over the two of them. Elara looked back at him and noticed for the first time a sadness in his eyes. The realisation that she was the cause of it made her want to curl up into a ball and disappear. 

“So,” he said finally with a sigh. 

“It’s not what it sounds like,” she said abruptly as he looked up at her. “With Draco I mean.” 

They sat in silence for a moment as Fred took in her words, his eyes falling to his hands as he absentmindedly picked at a nail. “Were you with him?” 

“Well, yes,” she admitted. “But only to speak to him.” 

“Speak to him about what?” 

Elara looked back at his expectant face and paused for a moment. “I received a letter from my mother,” she said eventually. “A letter about you.” 

His eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement before slowly a look of understanding came over his face and he smiled sadly at her. “I get it. I suppose there’s not many parents that would be happy for their daughter to be running around with me.” 

“No, Fred,” she said, an immeasurable sadness welling in her throat at his words. “It’s not you. It’s my mother, she’s... well, she’s exactly what you’d expect of someone with the surname Prince.” 

Fred nodded in understanding before fixing his face into an airy smile. “I mean, you can do what you want I suppose. It’s not like we’re in a relationship or anything.” 

“I don’t want Draco,” she said quietly. 

He looked back at her, his smile fading and with a somber look in his eyes. “Do you want me?” he almost whispered. 

Elara opened her mouth to reply before she stopped, looking at his downcast expression, his usual merriment absent like a long-gone ghost of happier times, and she realised that this was all down to her. She was the reason for his low spirits. What other damage would she inflict on him? Here was Fred Weasley, known for his mischief and fun and she’d manage to tear it from him, as if her own sadness was too strong for the happiness of others, dragging him down into the pits with her. 

Suddenly he stood. “If you have to think about it then I know the answer,” he said glumly. 

“No Fred, wait,” she said, standing too and watching as he walked from her towards the boy's dormitories. 

“Goodnight Elara,” he said finally before climbing the stairs out of sight. 

Elara sank back down into the sofa, her heart sinking with her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh please don't hate me! I hate sad Fred too!
> 
> Also, I'm on Tumblr now @ghostseaao3. I haven't used Tumblr in over ten years when I used to just reblog gifs of Tom Felton and Ben Barnes so if anyone wants to let me know how it all works now that would be swell.


	11. A Blank Slate

Elara slept late the next day, grateful that it was a Saturday as she woke up and lay still for a while, staring at the ceiling. She pulled back the drapes and noticed with a pang that Heather’s bed was empty, she’d already gone for breakfast without Elara for the first time in their five years at Hogwarts together. With a sigh she heaved herself out of bed and looked out the window. 

The grounds looked beautiful. Snow had fallen thick and fast overnight turning everything white, the corners of the windows blurred with frost. Elara stood for a moment to admire the view, the brown trees with layers of snow on their branches, and the turrets of the castle glittering back at her as though they were wearing little white hats. From up high in the Gryffindor tower, everything looked untouched with not a footprint to be seen. An almost blank slate to begin the day with. 

With a fresh determination, Elara turned from the window with its postcard worthy view and got dressed, pulling on her thick coat and scarf before heading down to the Great Hall. 

She ignored the glances and whispers that followed her as she marched up between the tables. She could see the red hair of the Weasley twins as they sat with Lee Jordan, poring over parchments of paper and surrounded by their Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes inventions. She was about to make her way straight to them when she was distracted by Heather waving at her, sitting alone with a book propped up against her orange juice.

“I thought I’d let you sleep late today,” she said with a warm smile as Elara approached her. “I figured you might have needed it.” 

Elara nodded as she stood before her. “I did. I thought you left because you were annoyed at me.” 

“What? No, of course not.” Heather said. “I mean I do think you need to learn how to control your temper and not let Malfoy get to you so much, but I can also completely understand the overwhelming urge to march down to the Slytherin Common Room to give him a piece of your mind too. Besides, you know I’d never take anything Pansy says seriously.” 

Elara smiled appreciatively at her and felt a little wave of relief course through her before her eyes were fleetingly drawn to Fred again. Heather, who noticed her glance at him, gave her a small encouraging smile. “Go,” she said. 

With a deep breath and nod to her friend, Elara made her way towards the twins, her heart pounding before she stopped in front of Fred. 

“Fred,” she said. He looked up, as did George and Lee, and Elara could feel her cheeks burn as all of them watched her apprehensively. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” 

She didn’t miss George’s warning look to Fred but Fred only shrugged before throwing down his quill and standing up, grabbing his coat from the bench next to him. She turned and walked back out of the Great Hall and down the steps to the grounds as Fred threw his coat on, following her. 

They walked in silence away from the castle, the snow crunching under their feet and their breaths appearing in little fogs of air in front of them. 

“As much as I do enjoy walking, I was expecting a little more talking,” Fred said eventually. 

Elara stopped suddenly and turned to him. “I’m an idiot,” she said abruptly. 

A long moment of silence followed as Fred looked at her expectantly. “I feel I could get in trouble if I respond to that so I’m going to need you to elaborate,” he said. 

She sighed and continued walking again as Fred fell into step beside her, looking at her in bemusement. 

“I owe you an explanation,” she said. “For all of it.” 

He kept his eyes on her as they walked and she took a deep breath, ready to finally be open with him. It was the least he deserved. “My mother and Draco’s mother are best friends,” she began before stopping at Fred’s small smile. 

“I knew it must have been something like that,” he said, a hint of triumph in his voice. 

“What?” 

“Well at the Quidditch World Cup when you spoke to his mother,” he shrugged. “I guessed there had to be something going on.” 

“Oh. Yeah. Well I’ve known Draco my whole life. In fact, at one point he was my best friend.” 

“Wow.” 

“ _I know_ ,” Elara said emphatically. “Obviously that changed when I got to Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor. I mean, you have to hand it to him, he’s at least consistent in his hatred of us. Suddenly all our years of friendship meant nothing and it was over, I was not to be exempt from his feelings of contempt. And that should have been the end of it. 

“Except our mothers were still friends. So every single summer for the last sixteen years of my life, I've been dragged to the Malfoy Manor at least twice a week by her. She and the Malfoy’s all sit together and talk about... I don’t know, drinking house-elf blood or world domination or whatever it is horrible people talk about.” 

She saw the corners of his mouth twitch. 

“Meanwhile I’m left to spend time with Draco. At times it’s as bad as you’d imagine it to be, whereas other times we actually get on ok since we’re stuck there together with little choice. Then school starts and we pretend we don’t know each other, which we repeat year after year until, well, you get the point.” 

Fred looked deep in thought, his eyes watching his feet as he walked. “I do have one question,” he said. 

“Of course, anything.” 

“What does Lucius Malfoy wear in the summer?” 

She frowned at him. “What?” 

“Well, I can’t imagine him in cargo shorts and a vest can you? Does he wear a little straw hat? Does he eat ice cream cones when it’s too hot?” 

She laughed and was happy to see him smile back at her. 

“Can you be serious for just five minutes?” she asked. 

“Probably not” he shrugged. “But I’ll try.” 

They walked on again in silence and Elara felt the tension in her shoulders relax. The sight of him cracking jokes again filled her with a reassurance like no other and she hoped she would never again have to see the dejected look on his face that she had witnessed the night before. This was how Fred Weasley should always be, completely and utterly himself. 

“The letter from my mother,” she said, steeling herself for the shame the cursive written letter brought her. “Please don’t read too much into it. When my father left her, she started spending more and more time with the Malfoys and other similar people, until eventually she morphed into a carbon copy of them. I’d say if Cassini Prince doesn’t approve of you then that probably means you’re a good person.” 

“Does she approve of you?” he asked, one corner of his mouth pulled up in a smile. 

“Absolutely not,” she said. “Although sometimes she pretends to.” 

He chuckled as he stuffed his hands in his pockets against the cold. 

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you by the way,” she said after a pause. “What with the whole school talking about us. Well, talking about me.” 

He shrugged. “Elara, I’m a Weasley. My father has a garage full of Muggle rubber ducks and I’m brother to Ronald Weasley. Trust me, embarrassment comes with the territory.” 

She smiled up at him. “Still, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just run off to the Slytherin Common Room without an explanation like that, but I knew if my mother had found out about me spending so much time with you it would have come from the Malfoy’s. And it’s just...” She paused, thinking on how best to word all of the emotions she had felt when she had first read the letter from her mother. “The last few months here at Hogwarts,” she said, “well I’ve never felt so happy.” 

He stopped walking then as he turned to look at her, his warm brown eyes betraying a sliver of sympathy. She quickly looked away feeling her cheeks burn before speaking again. 

“And well, a large part of that is because of you, and this great group of friends I have now. So when I got that letter, it just felt like a crash back to reality. Like a reminder that this life I have here is only temporary and that by summertime I’ll be back to living the life that I hate. Then once school is over that’ll be the only life I have. I don’t know... reading the letter I was just so mad at Draco for ruining the illusion I guess.” 

“It’s not an illusion Elara,” he said gently. 

She scoffed. “You don’t understand my family. They have these expectations and rules, and all these stupid high society type parties and events that they parade me around in, ready for me to dutifully slip into their shoes and continue their stupid legacy.” She was ranting she realised, and she stopped, sighing deeply. “Sorry,” she mumbled. 

He shook his head with a sympathetic smile. 

“And about last night,” she said quietly, “in the Common Room.” 

Fred looked down at his hands then and she saw the faintest glimmer of embarrassment cross his face. 

“When you asked me if I wanted you,” she pressed on, the words whispered the night before in the dimly lit Common Room sounding starker in the bright air of the day. “I didn’t answer at first not because of you, but because of me.” 

He finally looked up at her, and although Elara’s face was burning, she was determined to hold his gaze to show she was earnest in her words. “Fred, you’re a good person that comes from such a great family and I’m not. My family are problematic to say the least and honestly, sometimes I scare myself with what I’m capable of. When I’m with you everything's fine but sometimes I can be just like my mother. And I just feel like I’m not good enough for someone like you.” 

“Blimey,” he said, taking a step towards her. “Now I know you really are an idiot.” 

“Fred-” 

“No. Elara, I have always been definitely punching above my weight with you.” 

She blushed at his words as an embarrassed smile crept on her face. 

“Seriously,” he continued. “Whatever this bad part of you is, I’ve never seen it.” 

“Yes, because it’s like you bring out this better side of me.” 

“I don’t believe that,” he said. “Did you ever think it might be the other way around? That you’re a _good_ person, and it’s being around people like Malfoy and your mother that bring out the badness? Because, let me tell you, that’s pretty much how it works for all of us. Seeing Malfoy’s face always makes me want to resort to violence, it’s completely natural.” 

She laughed, looking up at him appreciatively as he smiled back at her, a genuine smile that caused those familiar butterflies in her stomach to reappear. 

“I just want you to know that nothing happened between me and Draco,” she said quietly. “And nothing has or ever will happen between us. Pansy saw the two of us talking and well, you know what she’s like.” 

He took a step towards her and raised both of his hands, placing them on either side of her face, his fingers cold as his thumbs brushed against her cheeks and he tilted her head to look straight at him. 

“So when I asked you last night...” he trailed off with the faintest hint of a question. 

She nodded in response and he slowly smiled back at her. 

“I want to hear you say it,” he said, his eyes full of mischief and Elara felt her herself flush as she bit her lip. 

“Yes,” she whispered. “I do want you.” 

He smirked at her as he brought his face closer to hers, his lips inches away. “One more time for good measure.” 

“For goodness sake!” she giggled. “Fine. I do want you Fred Weasley.” 

“About time you just admitted it.” 

And then he kissed her like she had never been kissed before, with a tenderness even though he was holding her tightly. Her hands were gripping the sides of his coat as she felt his tongue in her mouth and she kissed back with a sense of urgency. It felt like the whole world had disappeared around them as a small moan escaped her lips as he pulled her body in closer to his. 

“Jesus Christ! Will you two get a room!” 

They broke apart and Elara already wished she could have frozen the moment in time, prolonged it somehow without the interruption of George, Heather and Lee who were coming towards them, Heather winking at her. 

“Wonderful timing,” Fred complained under his breath. 

“I mean, right in front of the castle!” George continued as Elara blushed. “First-years were running back into the Great Hall in fright!” 

“Well, if you hadn’t so rudely interrupted, we could have really put on a show. You might have even picked up some tips,” Fred shot back, throwing his arm around Elara. 

“The day I take tips from you dear brother, will be a sad day indeed.” He stopped in front of them with his hands in his pockets. “I take it by the fact you two were chewing each other’s faces off that everything is back to normal?” 

Elara nodded as Fred beamed at her. “I’d say so.” 

“Here was me thinking I’d be coming out to save you from some Draco Malfoy shaped trap,” he said to Fred, indicating Elara none too subtly. 

“There’s nothing going on between me and Draco,” Elara said hotly. 

“I’m only teasing Prince,” he grinned. “Heather filled me in.” 

“Yes,” Heather said forcefully, glaring at George. “And I reminded him he shouldn’t believe everything he hears. Especially with the way gossip gets around in this school.” 

“Well why shouldn’t I believe it?” George said with a shrug as he turned to face her. “It was right about you.” 

He smiled slyly as he watched the effects of his words on her, backing away as her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean it was right about me?” she asked quickly. 

He didn’t answer and only backed away some more, wriggling his eyebrows. 

“George!” Heather warned, but he turned to run from her with a laugh as she let out a noise of exasperation and crouched to the ground to make a snowball. 

“Come back here!” she called, chasing after him. “What gossip about me?!” 

Elara, Lee and Fred laughed as they watched George run from her, laughing maniacally as she lamely aimed snowballs at him which missed by several feet. 

“Come on MacDougall!” he called. “You can do better than that.” 

“Oh that’s it,” she said, stopping to reach into her coat for her wand. They all watched on in gleeful amusement as she charmed a whole heap of snowballs to chase George around the grounds, hitting him as he yelped with his arms over his head. 

“Serves you right George!” Fred shouted to him as George glared back at him in the tiny amount of time time he could before the final snowball hit him square in the face. 

Realising there were no more snowballs left to accost him, George’s face split into a vengeful scowl with his eyes still on Fred. 

“Shit,” Fred mumbled but it was too late. With the skill of a seasoned professional, George had quickly made a snowball and aimed it at Fred who ducked causing the snowball to hit Lee square in the stomach. 

It was pandemonium after that, all five of them laughing and shrieking as their quiet walk descended into a frantic and competitive snowball fight. Elara was covered in snow and was running back towards the castle screaming as George tore after her. She made it up the stairs and into the Entrance Hall just in time to see a snowball whizz past her at knee level and land on the stone floor. She laughed and turned to see George running up the stairs towards her, groaning at his lame throw. 

“Well, what do we have here?” 

Elara felt an iciness plunge into her chest as she heard that drawling familiar voice. Draco Malfoy was walking towards her, dressed in a black coat and matching black hat, Crabbe and Goyle flanking him with excited smirks on their faces. “I was so sure it was the other twin you were dating, was it not? How scandalous. Ah, and here he comes now.” 

Fred, Heather and Lee were rushing up the stairs towards them, Fred’s mouth in a straight line with his eyes fixed on Draco, and Heather puffing as she reached them. Other students were lingering in the Entrance Hall now, pretending to tie their shoelaces or be in conversation with one another, eagerly sensing danger. 

“You know,” Draco continued, with a thoughtful look on his face, “if Rita Skeeter ever grows bored of writing about the Potter, Granger, Krum love triangle, she could write about you three. I can see the headline now.” He raised his arm up in front him, looking off into space as if he could envision an imaginary headline. “From pauper to _Prince_ ,” he said emphasising her surname. “How a ménage à trois changed the fortunes of two impoverished brothers.” 

Fred made to step forward but Elara threw her arm out quickly, stopping him in his tracks. “He’s not worth it Fred,” she hissed, not taking her eyes off Draco. “Let’s just go.” 

Heather was already pulling George away as Lee Jordan glared at Draco over Elara’s shoulder. Draco’s eyes were still fixed on Elara however until she turned from him with Fred and the others. 

“Yes, run along _Fred_ ,” Draco called as Elara finally managed to make him walk towards the staircase. “You and I both know how quickly Elara’s temper can flare when she’s unhappy. I witnessed it myself just the other night in the Slytherin corridor. Really quite feisty.” 

Fred stiffened beside her and Elara had to link her arm in his in order to pull him along forcefully. “Please Fred,” she whispered. “You’re giving him what he wants.” 

The sounds of Draco, Crabbe and Goyle’s laughter receded as they climbed the stairs and Elara stole a glimpse at Fred to see his jaw set, his eyes full of an unmistakeable fury. 

“What a vile ferret of a boy he is!” Heather said angrily, breaking the silent tension. 

“Yeah,” Lee agreed. “Where’s Mad-Eye and his unusual punishment methods when you need him?” 

“You were the one that told me I had to stop letting him get to me,” Elara said over her shoulder to Heather, her arm still linked in Fred’s. “We should all just ignore him, make that our New Year’s resolution together.” 

George snorted. “Fat chance. It’s not ignoring Malfoy needs, it’s a punch to the mouth. And I’ll be happy to volunteer as the one to do it.” 

Elara rolled her eyes as they all walked together, George, Heather and Lee discussing all the ways in which they’d like to cause Malfoy physical pain. Fred was still quiet however and Elara leaned into him to whisper out of earshot of the others. 

“Are you ok?” she asked. 

He nodded despite his jaw still being clenched. “I just hate him, that’s all.” 

“I know,” Elara sighed. “I feel the exact same.” 

He looked at her and Elara smiled softly, happy to have his eyes on her, their arms linked as they shared a quiet moment together.

“And you have to spend summers suffering through that?” he asked, a look of disbelief in his eyes. 

“Yes,” she said. “Although not from now on if I can help it.” 

“Good,” he said, turning to face forward again. “I don’t think I could stand knowing that you were stuck with him.” 

Elara felt a wave of gratitude rush through her at his words and she smiled at him even though he was staring straight ahead. She dropped her hand to his, linking their fingers as they climbed the last of the stairs together towards the Common Room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd all's right with the (fictional) world again!
> 
> Friendly reminder that I'm on Tumblr @ghostseaao3. Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)


	12. The Secret Garden

Heathers eyes were narrowed as she read the front page of the Daily Prophet, her lips pressed together in a tight line. Elara waited for her to finish reading, watching as her face grew darker with every sentence. 

“That horrible _cow_ ,” she said finally, slamming the paper down with a thump on to the table. 

“It’s awful, isn’t it?” Elara said. “Poor Hagrid.” 

She cast her eyes up to the teachers table, Hagrid’s absence looming larger than he himself would be if he had been sitting there as he normally did each morning. 

“And Malfoy too!” Heather said, picking up the paper again. “’ _We all hate Hagrid, but we’re just too scared to say anything_ ’? He’s been on fine form this month, hasn’t he? The lying git.” 

Elara made a noise of agreement before taking a sip of her orange juice. Fred and George were walking down towards them and she smiled warmly at Fred as he threw himself down next to her. 

“You’ve seen then?” he asked, indicating the newspaper. 

Heather nodded as George looked up at the teachers table as he sat down. “I honestly had no idea,” he said. “Just goes to show.” 

“Yeah, maybe you and Fred should ask Rita Skeeter to check your parentage,” Heather said. “With your height, maybe you’re half-giant too.” 

“No need to be hostile MacDougall, just because I’m tall, dark and handsome,” George said with a dramatic flip of his hair. 

“Tall, _ginger_ and average.” 

“Now why would you say ginger in that tone? We’re in your home country of Scotland, aren’t half the population here ginger?” 

“Not half-” 

“-I mean, by those statistics I’m probably more Scottish than you!” 

Heather scoffed in disbelief. She was fiercely proud of her Scottish heritage, and Elara was grinning as she braced herself for another classic Heather MacDougall putdown until she was distracted by Fred, who turned his body to face hers and placed one of his hands on her knee. 

“Hey,” he said quietly as Heather launched into a diatribe against George who was watching her amusedly. “What are you doing tonight?” 

Elara loved how close he was to her, the feel of his hand on her leg, the familiarity and comfort of his body language. 

“Studying,” she said sadly. 

“Can I steal you away from the books for just one hour?” 

“What for?” 

“Well,” he said, scooting a little closer, “as much as I am a fan of you grabbing me for random snogs here and there, I thought it was probably about time we went on an actual date.” 

“A date?” 

“No need to sound so surprised Elara, I am a complete charmer as you may have noticed.” 

She snorted. “Oh yes, you’re right. Very charming.” 

“Exactly. So, say seven o’clock tonight?” 

She bit her lip as she nodded and was smiling so hard she wondered if her face would stay stuck that way. 

“Hi guys!” 

She was distracted from the feeling of Fred’s eyes on hers by Hermione Granger who stood cheerily above them all, interrupting Fred and Elara, and cutting Heather and George’s argument short. 

“Hermione,” Fred acknowledged, removing his hand from Elara’s knee and turning to face her. “What can we do for you?” 

Taking his question as an invitation, Hermione plopped herself down next to them, placing a sheaf of parchment and a box that rattled on to the table in front of her. 

George groaned. “Oh come on Hermione, this isn’t your spew stuff again is it?” 

“It’s not spew,” she replied hotly. “It’s S – P – E – W!” 

“Come again?” Heather said, eyebrow raised. 

“Ladies,” Hermione said, ignoring the twins to speak directly to Elara and Heather. “Are you aware of the completely inhumane and shocking way in which this school is colluding in enslavement and oppression?” 

Elara and Heather glanced at one another before looking back at Hermione. 

“Obviously not,” she continued. “Well, that’s why I have started the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. Our aims are simple; to promote the rights of house-elves everywhere, ensuring they are paid a fair wage, and to change their legal status so they can become proper valued members of society. For two sickles you can help liberate the house-elves and contribute to a worthy cause.” 

Heather was slowly turning her head to face Elara with the widest grin on her face, and Elara shook her head at her warningly. “What do you think Elara?” Heather said, her words dripping with sarcasm. “You fancy liberating house-elves today?” 

Elara said nothing and glowered back at her. 

“Wait,” Fred said looking at Elara’s face, realisation coming over him. “ _You_ have a house-elf?” 

“It’s the family house-elf!” Elara said defensively to Fred and George’s guffaws of laughter and Hermione’s shocked stare. “He’s been in our family longer than I have!” 

“What’s his name?” George asked. 

“Dusty,” she said quietly as they both laughed again. 

“Well,” Hermione said haughtily. “I hope he’s being paid for his work?” 

Elara looked back at her with wide eyes. “Paid? Hermione, Dusty would be affronted if we offered him a wage.” 

“Because he’s been brainwashed! And he doesn’t know any better! It’s your family’s responsibility to teach him and -” 

“Ok, ok, that’s enough Hermione,” George said. “Let’s not start the day with an argument on house-elf rights.” 

Hermione crossed her arms with a huff. “Well you only need to read the front page of the Daily Prophet today to see the complete contempt with which the wizarding community treats magical creatures.” 

“You can’t really compare a giant to a house-elf though,” Fred said. 

Hermione made to open her mouth to argue before Heather cut her off. “Did you say it was two sickles?” she said, reaching into her bag to pull out her purse. “Here, there’s four for me and Elara. Hope your mum isn’t too mad when S.P.E.W liberates Dusty, Elara.” 

Elara pulled a face at Heather as Hermione gratefully took the money, handing two badges to Heather before leaving them to join Harry and Ron, Ron rolling his eyes at her. 

“Dusty the house-elf,” Fred said with a smile. “So, does this mean you live in a mansion too? Or is it a manor like the Malfoy’s?” 

Elara could feel the heat rising in her face as she concentrated on her bowl of cereal. 

“It would definitely be classed as a mansion at least,” Heather answered, thoroughly enjoying Elara’s embarrassment. 

“Well Fred,” said George, “it looks like you’re on the road to becoming a trophy husband.” 

“My dream is finally coming true.” 

They all laughed before George stood, looking at his watch. “Right, we better go,” he said. “We’re learning the cleaning charm in Charms today, about as close as we’ll get to a house-elf.” 

Fred grabbed his bag before turning to Elara. “See you at seven o’clock tonight?” 

She nodded back at him causing him to grin and quickly kiss her on the cheek before winking at her and leaving with George. Elara couldn’t help but smile as she turned her attention back to Heather. 

“God, you are so _smitten_!” Heather laughed. 

Elara only looked back up at her, there was no point in denying it she knew, she was still unable to stop herself from grinning. 

“It’s cute,” Heather said approvingly. 

* * *

Elara sat in the Common Room with a book in her lap that she had been pretending to read for the last fifteen minutes as her stomach twisted in knots. She felt giddy with nerves and excitement and had to repeatedly tell herself to calm down. It was only a date with Fred. 

A real date. With a guy she very much liked. What could go wrong? 

The Common Room was busy, students sitting in clusters together studying or chatting loudly. It was two minutes to seven o’clock, not that she’d been nervously checking the clock every minute for the last ten minutes, when suddenly she heard a loud voice call across the room. 

“Oi! Prince!” 

She whipped her head round to see Fred poking his head in through the portrait hole as the whole room went quiet. 

“Come on, time for our date!” 

Elara felt her face go crimson red as the Common Room burst into laughter with some wolf-whistles ringing through the air. Ron groaned with a ‘bloody hell!’ as Harry Potter and Dean Thomas laughed, Fred winking at them. 

She marched towards him and clambered out of the portrait hole, shutting it quickly behind her. 

“You are a nightmare!” she said, pushing him playfully. 

“What?” he said innocently. “You’re not trying to keep me a secret, are you? Because honestly, I might be into that.” 

“No,” she said as he began walking and she fell into step beside him. “But do we really need to announce it to the whole school?” 

“Yes,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist. “I want everyone to know that I, Fred Weasley, am the type of guy that gets to take Elara Prince on a date.” 

“Flattery will get you nowhere Weasley,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. 

“Worth a shot.” 

He released her waist as he led her through the castle, taking short cuts and instructing her to jump over every trick step, or to hold on whenever a staircase moved. 

“Where are we?” she asked as they walked along a narrow corridor, portraits lining the walls but with seemingly no doors or any purpose to the corridor itself, which ended in a dead end. 

“You’ll see,” he said mysteriously as he stopped dead in front of one of the portraits. 

It was a painting of a garden by the looks of it, the grass running the entire width of the canvas, with a clear blue sky and a solitary apple tree in the middle. Underneath the apple tree sat an ethereal looking woman, dressed in a long, floaty white dress with wavy dark hair that fell to her waist. 

Fred cleared his throat and the woman looked up before standing and coming towards them, getting closer and closer until the tree disappeared from view, her face looking suspiciously at Elara as it took up most of the frame. She was very beautiful, Elara thought. 

“That doesn’t look like your brother,” the woman in the portrait said, keeping her eyes on Elara. 

“God, I’d hope not!” Fred replied. 

She finally tore her eyes from Elara to look directly at Fred. “You know the rules,” she said testily. “I’ve been very clear.” 

“You have,” Fred nodded. “And I’ve always stuck to them haven’t I? I promise, Elara won’t tell anyone.” 

The woman in the portrait looked back at Elara, and although Elara had no idea what they were talking about, she nodded solemnly to the portrait. “Not a soul,” she said. 

“I’ll let your girlfriend in,” the portrait said to Fred as if Elara wasn’t there. “But if she breaks the rules then that will be the last.” 

“You’re an angel Eden,” he said with a relieved smile as the portrait swung open to reveal a gap in the wall big enough to climb through. 

The gap was placed almost chest level on the wall and Fred heaved himself up inside, before lending his arm to Elara and pulling her up. She got to her feet as she looked around the room, her jaw dropping. 

It was the garden from the portrait exactly, complete with lush, green grass and a tree in the middle, its branches resplendent with red apples. The sky was a fresh blue, and it wasn’t until Elara remembered that it was seven o’clock at night that she realised that it wasn’t the sky at all, but the walls and ceiling that had been bewitched to make it look like they were outdoors on a clear summer’s day. She ran her hand along the wall, as she glanced up at the ceiling. It was almost impossible to tell it wasn’t real. 

“Pretty cool, huh?” Fred said throwing his backpack down on to the grass and crouching as he unzipped it. 

“What is this place?” she asked in awe. 

“Hogwarts secret garden,” he said. “George and I discovered it in our second year but it took us ages to convince Eden there to let us in. She’s very protective of it.” 

Elara finally tore her eyes away from the walls to see that Fred had thrown down a tartan blanket underneath the tree and was currently pulling out a flask and a round box from his bag. 

“I thought we could have a late-night picnic,” he said, crossing his legs as he sat down on the blanket. 

Elara smiled before making her way to sit across from him. He poured out a cup of tea, handing it to her before pouring his own. She took a sip of the hot liquid as Fred tore open the lid of the box, revealing an abundant collection of various biscuits. 

“Courtesy of the house-elves,” he said. “Just don’t tell Hermione.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

He grabbed a cookie and took a bite from it as Elara shifted uncomfortably. “That woman in the portrait,” she said. 

“Eden.” 

“Yes, Eden. Well did you notice? She called me your girlfriend.” 

Fred chewed on the last of his biscuit with a smile as he looked back at her before swallowing. “I did notice,” he said. “Why do you bring it up?” 

“Oh, no reason,” she said with a blush and shrug. 

Fred grinned before taking the cup from her hand and placing it down on the grass. He wrapped both his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him, twisting her around so her back was leaning against his chest, his legs on either side of her. He enveloped her in his arms, his chin resting on her shoulder, his cheek pressed against hers. 

“Is this you hinting that you’d like to be my girlfriend?” His voice was quiet and teasing and she knew he would be smirking. 

“No, I just-” 

“So you don’t want to be my girlfriend?” 

She sighed. “Stop it Weasley.” 

He chuckled and Elara relaxed into his embrace, feeling completely secure and entirely happy. 

“We could make it official if you’d like,” he said. “If you’re comfortable with devastating the female population of this school by taking me off the market?” 

She snorted. “I think I could live with that.” 

She twisted slightly to look at him and he was grinning back at her, raising one of his hands to her chin to gently tilt her head. “Then Elara Prince, you are now officially my girlfriend,” he said before kissing her lightly, with a soft longing and careful touch. 

“Do you hear that?” he whispered as they parted, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. 

Elara sat quietly, straining her ears but she couldn’t hear anything. 

“That’s the sound of hundreds of girls’ heart’s breaking,” he said. 

She laughed and pulled herself out of his arms, twisting on her knees to face him again as he chuckled mischievously. She picked back up her mug and crossed her legs, cradling her tea on them as Fred raised one leg, his elbow leaning on it as he bit down into another biscuit. 

“So,” he said between mouthfuls. “Obviously it’s going to take a bit of work for me to win over your mother, but what about your father?” 

“What about him?” 

“Well you don’t talk about him much, but I remember seeing you with him at the Quidditch World Cup and you seemed to get on ok.” 

She shrugged. “We do get on.” 

“So, he’s not like your mother?” 

“No. Dad’s kind of the black sheep of the family.” 

“Ok good. That gives us some common ground I can start with if I ever meet him.” 

Elara scoffed. “You’re not the black sheep of your family.” 

“Oh yes I am,” he said, reaching for yet another biscuit. “I come from a family of Prefects and Head Boys. But George and I forged our own path, shook off the shackles of obedience and finally brought some pride to the Weasley name.” 

She laughed. “How brave.” 

“Well, I am a Gryffindor.” 

She shook her head at him. 

“So what about your dad then?” he pressed. “Did he forge his own path like me?” 

“Kind of,” she said thoughtfully. “Although not really. His family, the Prince’s I mean, they’re like the Malfoy’s on Hate Potion. Pure-blood fanatics. Apparently, my dad has an aunt that was disowned because she married a Muggle.” 

“That’s bleak.” 

“Yeah, my grandmother’s a real sweetheart,” she said sarcastically. “Dad doesn’t really go in for all that pure-blood nonsense, thank God. He also _hates_ the Malfoy’s.” 

“Finally, some sanity in your family.” 

She laughed as Fred furrowed his eyebrows as if a memory had just come to him. “Wait. Didn’t I see your dad with Lucius Malfoy at the World Cup?” 

She nodded. “Yes. You have to remember my dad’s still a Slytherin at heart. He doesn’t believe in hating Muggle-borns or anything, but he’s not going to die for his beliefs either. He doesn’t call grandma out at the Christmas table when she spouts her hate for example, and he used to always dutifully go to the Malfoy’s with mum because Lucius is a useful person to have on your side.” She shrugged, “It’s not that admirable I know, but it makes sense.” 

“For a Slytherin, yeah I suppose,” he accepted. 

“He lives in London now,” she said. “I only see him a few times a year during the summer.” 

“Couldn’t you live with him? Get you away from your mum and the Malfoy’s?” 

She shook her head. “No, trust me, I’ve tried. He always says he’s too busy at work and wouldn’t want to leave me in his flat whilst he’s away all day. But I think that’s just an excuse to be honest.” 

She saw Fred sigh slightly, a small look of tenderness on his face as he looked at her. “Well, there is one way you could most definitely avoid the Malfoy’s this summer,” he said. 

“How?” 

“Come visit me.” 

She stared back at him for a moment. “Come visit you?” 

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “I’ll be seventeen so mum can’t really stop me from having girls over can she?” 

She laughed. “Yes, I’m pretty sure she can. It’s still her house remember. Plus, you might be seventeen but I won’t be.” 

“Big deal. Hermione stays over all the time. Mum can put you in with Ginny and then you can just sneak up to my room each night.” 

He winked suggestively at her causing her to roll her eyes with a chuckle. 

“Seriously though,” he said, finally putting the lid on the box of biscuits after devouring almost half of them on his own. “Think about it. I’d like to see you over the summer, and I’d be much happier knowing you were at the Burrow than the Malfoy Manor.” 

“The Burrow?” 

She saw a faint blush creep up his cheeks. “Oh yeah, that’s the name of our house.” 

“I love it,” she smiled. 

“It’s a bit crowded,” he said, “and there’s no house-elves or libraries or wine cellars or whatever else it is you’re used to. But it’s home.” 

“You’re really inviting me to come visit you over the summer?” 

“Yep,” he said. 

“Then ok,” she said gladly. “I’d love to.” 

“Well then, that’s sorted,” he said with a smile, getting to his feet and pulling her up to meet him. “Elara Prince will be at the Burrow with me this summer.” 

And then his lips were on hers again and Elara couldn’t remember a time she’d ever felt so happy with his hands around her waist, pulling her in close to his body before one snaked through her hair. Their lips parted, him still holding her in place, his eyes still on her lips. 

“Besides I could go a whole summer of this could you not?” he asked, his voice low. 

She felt a tug in her stomach and wanted nothing more than his lips on hers again. 

“Absolutely,” she agreed, pulling him back to her greedily. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if you caught the reference to Eileen Prince in this chapter? If only Elara knew she was related to Snape!
> 
> Anyways, I wanted to say a thank you to everyone who's commented, gave kudos, bookmarked etc. The engagement on this fic has been beyond anything I ever hoped, I honestly intended to write something I'd like to read and I'm so happy that there's some of you out there that are enjoying it too. Thank you so much!
> 
> Tumblr - ghostseaao3


	13. The Second Task

Elara sat by the fire in the Common Room, Spellman’s Syllabary in her lap as she attempted to commit to memory the page of runes in front of her. She was feeling warm and cosy, a lazy quiet filling the Common Room after a day spent at Hogsmeade. She, Fred, George, Heather and Lee had spent the day together, visiting the various shops and sipping Butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks until they eventually gave up and headed back for the warmth of the castle. 

She glanced up at Fred who was slouched back into the sofa, eyes closed and mouth slightly open as he slept. She couldn’t help but smile as she watched him, his big day out at Hogsmeade had obviously tired him out. 

“Well, that’s my cue to leave.” Heather snapped her book closed causing George to jump. 

“What is?” he asked. 

“Her,” she said, pointing at Elara. “All googly-eyed watching Fred sleep.” 

Elara blushed crimson red, “I was not!” 

“Yeah right,” Heather grinned. “I saw you!” 

“I merely glanced up.” 

“Can you blame her?” Fred said with a yawn as he rubbed his eyes. “I’m so bloody cute when I sleep.” 

Heather rolled her eyes with a smile as she picked up her books and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Night, losers.” 

Fred grinned at Elara and patted the seat next to him on the sofa that Heather had vacated, indicating her to come sit with him. 

“Oi!” George called to Heather as she made her way up to the girl's dorm. “You can’t leave me with them.” 

“Good luck!” she called back with a laugh. 

Elara took her spot on the sofa next to Fred who wrapped an arm around her, resting his head on her shoulder as he dozed again. 

“Yeah, I think I’ll go too then,” George said, giving them both a disapproving look before standing. 

“No, George-” Elara started. 

“Let him go,” Fred whispered as George made his way over to where Lee Jordan sat. “We’ve been with them all day, we could do with some alone time.” 

She sighed, although she was secretly pleased and turned to sit sideways, her legs leaning against the back of the sofa as she opened her book again. She relaxed back into Fred, who wrapped both arms around her tightly and read over her shoulder. 

“Oh, come on,” he said. “Don’t study. Give me some attention instead.” 

She laughed. “Fred, I need to study.” 

“But it’s the weekend,” he moaned. 

She said nothing as she shrugged her shoulders, turning the page on her book. 

“I could just distract you,” he said quietly. She could feel a shiver run down her spine as his lips brushed against her ear. 

“You’re already distracting me.” 

He chuckled lightly and Elara could feel his lips move from her ear as he began planting small kisses along her neck. She pulled her shoulders up and leaned away from him slightly as she felt that tug in her stomach, her breath inhaling sharply. 

“Ha,” he whispered triumphantly. “I found your spot, didn’t I?” 

“Fred,” she said warningly, although it was all she could do not to turn around and launch herself on to him. 

He leaned in again and kissed her on the same spot, just below her ear, her breath hitching as Fred chuckled and she twisted slightly to hit him playfully. 

“Oi, you two! Get a room, will you?” 

Fred groaned and made a rude gesture to George who returned the favour. 

“Come on,” Fred said, gently pushing her forward as he stood up. 

“Where are we going?” 

“My dorm,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her up from the sofa. “I want to show you something.” 

Elara followed him towards the stairs to the boys' dorms as George looked up, eyes wide. “No!” he called after them, “I didn’t mean it literally!” 

Elara laughed as Fred pulled her quickly up the stairs, ignoring George’s protestations. 

The boys’ dorm was similar to the one she shared with Heather, with the Gryffindor house colours everywhere and the same mahogany beds and flooring, except it was far messier. Clothes were littered over every surface and various sections of the walls had been decorated with Quidditch posters and family photos. There was also a faint musky smell mixed with aftershave that Elara thought wasn’t altogether unpleasant. 

Fred was walking over to his bed as Elara looked around. 

“You know,” she said, “they’re going to think we’re up to something if we’re both up here.” 

“I’ll only be two minutes,” he said, pulling back the curtain of his four-poster bed. 

“Well, exactly.” 

His mouth fell into a perfect ‘o’ before he grinned and walked back towards her, pulling her in close to him by the waist. “I’d be happy to prove you wrong there,” he said with a smirk, before leaning in and kissing her. Her body was pressed close to his, his hands gripping her tightly. 

“Maybe another time,” she whispered as they parted. 

He laughed before pulling her to sit on his bed, him bending down on the floor to pull out a large box from under where she sat and placing it next to her as he sat down beside her. It was bright orange and purple, a large W printed across the front with Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes written across it. He opened the lid to reveal an assortment of small drawers, each filled with products. 

“Wow,” she said. “I didn’t realise you’d made so much.” 

“This is what I do when you’re studying,” he shrugged. “Which is all the time.” 

He pulled open a few of the drawers and Elara’s eyes were pulled in all directions, enamoured by the colours and strange shapes and sizes of the contents. She didn’t know where to start. 

“This,” he said, pulling out a long, flesh-coloured piece of string, “is an Extendable Ear. You put one end in your ear and the other under a door or towards any area you’d like to eavesdrop on, and your world will be open to a whole new host of private conversations.” 

She held it in her hand as he watched her with a smile. 

“Problem is we can only get it to work from a distance of around a metre. If you need to be that close to the door you’d be may as well just using the old overturned glass method.” 

She leaned over to pick up a small, green coloured pill. “What’s this?” she asked. 

He promptly snatched it from her hand, causing Elara to jump slightly. “Sorry!” he said quickly. “It’s just we’ve only just perfected that one and that’s the only prototype we have left. We had to use some expensive ingredients and we can’t afford to get anymore.” 

“Oh, sorry,” she said. “What does it do?” 

“Instant constipation,” he said proudly. “Still working on a name for it.” 

“How lovely.” 

He chuckled as he placed it back into the box. 

“This is really impressive Fred,” she said earnestly. “Really.” 

He shrugged as he closed the drawers. “What can I say? Here I am being the perfect boyfriend, so devilishly good looking and funny too, and I still have time to invent constipation pills.” 

“Yeah,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’re a real catch.” 

Just at that, the door to the dorm opened and Lee entered. 

“Don’t come in, we’re naked!” Fred yelled loudly. 

Lee immediately covered his eyes and stumbled backwards in a panic as Fred burst into laughter. It took everything Elara had not to laugh along with him as Lee tripped on the hem of his cloak. 

“No, we’re not Lee,” she said, stifling a giggle. “The coast is clear.” 

Lee removed his hand from his face and glared at Fred who was still laughing at his own joke. 

“Yeah, very funny,” Lee huffed as he walked over to his bed. He stopped, noticing the box sitting between her and Fred. “Jesus, Fred, only you would bring a girl to your room to genuinely show her some magic tricks.” 

“I know what women want,” Fred said simply. 

Elara laughed before standing. “Ok, bedtime for me,” she said, leaning in to kiss Fred goodnight. 

“Goodnight,” he smiled before pulling her back to kiss her again. 

She left his room and made her way to the girl's dorm, her step light and her heart full, feeling immensely and truly happy. 

* * *

“Hurry Heather, it’s about to start!” 

Elara and Heather were sprinting towards the Great Lake, their scarves and cloaks lifting in the wind as they ran towards the crowd already gathered for the second task. They pushed their way through the excited students with mumbled apologies as they headed towards Fred and George, easily spotted as they stood head and shoulders above almost everyone else. 

“There you are!” Fred said, grabbing her hand to pull her through a throng of students. “Now we just need to find Ron and Hermione, have you seen them?” 

“No,” Elara said, catching her breath. 

“Goddamn it,” Fred cursed. “It’s the bloody second task. You’d think they’d want to come and offer their best mate some moral support.” 

“Come on, let’s go look for them,” George said, pulling Fred’s jacket. “We’ll be back in a minute.” 

“There’s Nathan and Oran,” Heather said, pushing her way through the crowd as George and Fred left them. 

Elara made to follow but was distracted by Ludo Bagman who was standing near the edge of the lake, his eyes catching hers for a brief second. She waved at him but he quickly turned away causing her to sigh. 

“Ooh, that was awkward.” As if from nowhere Draco Malfoy appeared in front of her, looking from Bagman to Elara with an amused smile on his face. His blond hair was poking out from under his black hat, his grey eyes turning to fix on her as he smoothed down the front of his wool coat. 

Elara looked past his shoulder to see Heather pushing her way through the crowd, oblivious to Elara being held up. 

“He just didn’t see me,” she said, moving to step forward as he side-stepped her to block her path. 

“Oh no, he definitely saw you,” Draco said. “I just wonder what on earth you could have done to upset Ludo Bagman of all people?” 

“That’s none of your business.” 

“So you have done something?” he smirked. “How interesting.” 

The rest of his Slytherin classmates were with him, she realised. Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle and a few others, although all were facing the lake, not yet noticing Draco talk to her. 

“Move, Draco,” she said with an exasperated sigh. 

“You know, I didn’t even recognise you at first,” he said, still standing directly in her way. “Then I realised it’s because there isn’t a Weasley hanging off your arm. Trouble in paradise?” 

“What do you care?” 

“I just wonder how your mother will feel when she finds out you’re actually in a relationship with him now.” 

“Well, I’m sure we’ll know soon enough after you write your weekly gossip column to your mother,” she snarled. 

“No, no,” he said with a grin as he shook his head. “Your secret’s safe with me. I don’t think Mrs Prince needs to know about every little short-lived fling, do you?” 

“Elara, everything ok?” Finally, Heather had noticed her absence, appearing behind Draco with Nathan and Oran in tow, both of them glaring at him 

“Ahh, and here comes the best Gryffindor have to offer,” Draco said loudly, alerting his Slytherin mates to the situation. “Two Pitbull's and a Scottish Terrier. Come to see Potter drown?” 

“No, no,” came Pansy’s high-pitched mocking tone as she turned to face them. “I bet MacDougall’s here to see Krum. What? Did you think because he dated one Mudblood he might be after you next?” 

Heather cursed as she made to step towards Pansy but was immediately pulled back by Nathan and Oran. 

“You better watch your back Parkinson!” Heather said through gritted teeth, struggling against their firm grip. “I’ll catch you alone one of these days, and it won’t be a Ton-Tongue Toffee I give you!” 

Pansy rolled her eyes but moved to stand next to Crabbe and Goyle all the same, and Elara glared at Draco as she pushed past him, following Nathan and Oran who were still pulling a struggling Heather away. 

“Took you long enough!” Elara said to Heather once they were finally out of earshot. 

Heather pulled herself out of Nathan and Oran’s grip. “Yeah, well you’re lucky it was me that came. George is currently holding Fred back from starting the second wizarding war.” 

They made their way closer to the edge of the lake were Fred and George were waiting, Fred standing impatiently as Elara reached him. 

“What did he want?” he demanded. 

“Nothing,” she replied, shaking her head dismissively. 

“Nothing? Didn’t look like nothing.” 

“It was just the usual Draco, being a pain in the arse with his snide comments.” 

Fred was looking over her shoulder to where Malfoy stood laughing with Pansy and the others. “I’m sick of it,” he said. “Every time I turn around, he’s at you for something.” 

“Don’t let it get to you,” Elara said, surprised at his tone. “It’s just Draco.” 

His eyes landed on Elara and she stopped at the expression on his face. “You always call him Draco,” he said irritably. 

She looked back at him with a frown. “What?” 

“Everyone else calls him Malfoy. Or worse. But you always call him Draco.” 

“Oh,” she said. “I never noticed. Does it bother you?” 

“No,” he said, turning from her to look back at the lake. “I just always notice it.” 

Elara watched him for a few moments but he kept his eyes on the lake, not once looking back at her. She sighed and jammed her hands in her pockets, looking down to the lake too where the champions were standing in a line waiting for the whistle to blow and the task to begin. Heather, Nathan and Oran were standing next to them, talking excitedly and cheering loudly as Harry and the others dived into the water. 

The atmosphere was tense, no one knew what was happening down in the dark, murky waters of the lake and Fred was pacing as he waited, George standing quietly. When Cedric finally emerged first the whole audience erupted into loud cheers and sighs of relief, but he was outside the time limit, and once Fleur had been eliminated and Krum emerged with Hermione, a genuine sense of worry was settling in as they all waited for Harry to rescue Ron. 

“Come on, where are they?” George grumbled as the judges started to pace and stand in huddled conversation. 

And then, finally, Harry emerged with not just Ron, but little Gabrielle Delacour, and Elara didn’t think she’d ever heard such a loud roar from the Gryffindor students. 

“Thank Christ,” Fred said with relief, as he grabbed Elara’s arm and dragged her to the front along with George and the others. 

After the results had been announced and Harry had been layered with blankets and hugs, all of them walked together back to the castle, Fred and George joking with Harry, Ron and Hermione as Elara hung back with Heather, Nathan and Oran. 

“It would have been better if they’d just put camera’s or something down there,” Heather said. “That way we could have seen what was happening at least!” 

“You mean those Muggle cameras that take the moving photos?” 

Heather rolled her eyes. “Bloody pure-bloods,” she joked. “Muggle’s have invented some good stuff you know.” 

“I don’t doubt it,” Elara grinned back. 

Up ahead, she saw Fred stop in his tracks, his head turning to look at Elara as he waited for her. 

“Hey,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close to him. “So, I think I might owe you an apology.” 

“You think you might?” 

“Wrong choice of words. I know I do.” 

He pulled her off the track leading back to the castle and on to the grass, away from the crowds of students who passed them by, chatting loudly. 

“I was behaving like a right tosser,” he said as he held both of her hands in his. “I was just stressed about Ron being down there and I took it out on you. Not that I’d miss him or anything, but it would have been difficult to explain to mum how he ended up being eaten by the giant squid. And she would definitely have found some way to blame it on me and George.” 

Elara chuckled as he tilted his head at her and tugged at her hands to bring her closer to him. 

“Does that cute laugh mean I’m forgiven?” he asked, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. 

She rolled her eyes at his cheesy attempt at flattery.

“Hmm,” she said thoughtfully. “You’ll have to make it up to me I’m afraid.” 

“What do you propose?” 

She grinned cheekily at him. “I can think of a few things.” 

“Is that right?” he whispered, leaning closer to her, his lips mere inches from hers. She was backing away from him with a smirk until her back hit the trunk of a tree and Fred’s lips finally met hers. 

No sooner had he pressed his body against her when suddenly he flew back six feet, as if he had been tugged by an imaginary hook at his back, stumbling as he looked around wildly. Professor McGonagall stood with her wand pointed at him, one eyebrow raised. 

“Weasley, Prince, get to your Common Room now,” she said sternly. “I imagine you have a party to attend.” 

“Of course, Professor,” Elara said, blushing as she rushed to walk back to the castle. “Won’t happen again!” 

“Well, that might be a lie Professor,” Fred grinned. 

“Weasley, don’t make me dock points from my own house. Keep walking. I’m watching you both.” 

And watch them both she did. She followed behind them closely, all the way to the castle and up the stairs towards the Gryffindor Common Room, Fred casting Elara sideways glances with a grin on his face. Finally, just as they reached the Gryffindor corridor, she turned the other way, the sounds of her step on the stone floor fading. 

“Finally,” Fred said, grabbing her roughly and pushing her into the alcove just next to the entrance to the Common Room. 

“Fred!” Elara gasped. “We’ll be caught.” 

“That’s the thrill of it.” 

He had her pushed against the wall, his hands around her waist as he pulled her in close, kissing her with a hunger she’d never felt before from him. She could feel every part of him against her as one hand moved to tangle in her hair, pulling her head back as he moved from her mouth to plant kisses along her jawline and to her neck. She let out a moan as his lips brushed that spot under her ear before she pushed him away with a giggle. 

“Stop,” she laughed, turning from him to rush out of the alcove. He grabbed her round the waist from behind and nuzzled into her neck as she walked, his step matching hers and she could hear herself giggle like a schoolgirl as they neared the portrait hole. 

“Come on lovebirds!” the Fat Lady called to them with a smile. “The party’s started without you.” 

“Banana fritters,” Fred said the password to her and the portrait hole swung open, a wave of music, laughter and cheers greeting them as they clambered through. 

“Where have you been?” Heather called over the noise of Harry’s name being chanted. 

“McGonagall caught us,” Fred said with a wink. 

“Caught you doing what? Actually, no. Don’t answer that.” 

“Don’t you girls tell each other everything anyway?” he asked. “I’m sure Elara will tell you.” 

“No, I’d really rather she didn’t,” Heather said pointedly, handing Elara a Butterbeer. 

Fred heaved himself up to sit on one of the tables, grabbing Elara to stand between his legs with her back to him as he threw an arm around her shoulders from behind. He took a Butterbeer from Heather with his other free hand. 

“You know,” George said, standing beside Oran and Nathan as he watched Harry being patted on the back by Seamus Finnigan, “I think the little bastard could win this.” 

“Could you imagine!” Nathan said with a laugh. “Getting beat by a fourteen-year-old?” 

“You would just have to tell people you were beat by the same kid that defeated You-Know-Who wouldn’t you?” George said, taking a sip from his Butterbeer. “To save face, I mean.” 

They all murmured in agreement. 

“They’ve underestimated him,” George went on thoughtfully. “You know what would have been the first thing I’d have done if I was a champion up against him? 

“What?” 

“Steal his glasses.” 

“Yeah, he’s blind without those things,” Fred agreed with a nod. 

Heather laughed. “That would be your big plan to take down Harry Potter? Steal his glasses?! God, if only the Dark Lord had thought of that!” 

“The simple ideas are always the most effective MacDougall.” 

“Right,” Elara said sarcastically. “Like your simple idea of using an Ageing Potion to get past Dumbledore’s Age Line?” 

“We will concede that Dumbledore outsmarted us there,” Fred said, raising his glass in an imaginary salute to the Headmaster. 

Heather shook her head with a wry smile. “Outsmarted by an old man.” 

“The same old man that defeated Grindelwald,” George quipped to guffaws of laughter. 

The night continued on loud and cheerful, but Elara sat with her group of friends away from the heart of it, happy to talk and laugh together as they sipped on Butterbeers and discussed their predictions for the final task. The twins floated the idea of using all of their products at once in some kind of lethal Weasley cocktail to give to Cedric Diggory, but Heather nipped that idea in the bud quickly. 

Elara looked around at the group as they chatted happily and smiled. Although she had always had Heather, she had never had a group of friends like this. She thought of Nathan and Oran standing behind Draco, ready to defend her if needed, and of Fred, who she knew would do anything for her. She finally understood now why people called Hogwarts their home and knowing that she might be able to spend some time at the Burrow in the summer helped her to believe that this could be what her life would always be like. 

Draco was wrong she thought, she wasn’t doomed to the life her mother had planned out for her, and she wouldn’t end up with him in the end. She could make her own decisions and then eventually she would become the true black sheep of the family. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, shameless self promotion but I recently wrote a Draco one-shot if you'd like to check that out. It's a very different tone from this fic though, be warned. 
> 
> Tumblr - ghostseaao3


	14. Distractions

Elara had her head cradled in her arms on the table, feeling herself drift into a lazy lull at the sounds of Heather’s quill scratching across from her. She was uncomfortable, her back slouched as she closed her eyes and listened enviously to the other students laughing and joking in the Common Room. 

“Your homework isn’t going to do itself,” Heather said in a singsong voice. 

Elara raised her head, resting her chin on her arms as she looked up at her. “Why not? Why won’t it just do itself? It’s not fair.” 

Heather shook her head with a smile as she finally looked up from her homework and snatched Elara’s homework planner from under Elara’s arms. 

“Hey!” 

Heather looked down at the scribbled pages, her eyes widening. “Elara!” she said shocked. “You have so much to do, and most of this is due either tomorrow or the day after.” 

“I know,” Elara mumbled. 

Heather raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re falling behind. O.W.L’s aren’t that far away now you know. You really need to get on top of this.” 

“You sound like my mother.” 

“Well, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, your mother has a point.” 

Elara grabbed the planner out of Heathers hands with a huff and threw it down in front of her. She had a mountain of books and papers spread out on the table, the half-finished Potions essay taunting her with its difficulty. 

“You’re spending too much time with Fred,” Heather said causing Elara to roll her eyes. 

“Homework or Fred... I wonder which sounds like a more enjoyable use of my time,” Elara said sarcastically. 

“Hey, don’t get sassy with me. I’m just pointing out a fact. Even Fred has thought about his future with the joke shop idea. Have you even thought about what you want to do when you leave school?” 

The answer was no. Elara had no idea what she was going to do once her time at Hogwarts was over. She had thought about it, but nothing ever seemed to excite her enough to want to commit to it. To her, sixteen years old didn’t seem a reasonable age to demand that someone decide what they want to do with the rest of their life. 

“Well, I was thinking of following in my mother's footsteps,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “Live off my inheritance, marry rich and devote my time to my social calendar.” 

“What admirable ambitions.” 

“Hey, if I was ambitious I’d be a Slytherin.” 

Heather rolled her eyes at Elara, but Elara noticed her gaze linger for just a second on the corner of the room before she looked back down at her homework. With a furrowed brow, Elara twisted in her seat to see Oran sitting with Nathan, the two of them trying to get through their mountain of homework too. Oran was scratching at his caramel-coloured hair and Elara grinned when she saw him look up at Heather, quickly averting his eyes when he saw Elara watching him. 

“So,” Elara said, turning back to face Heather. “Spoken to Oran recently?” 

“I know what you’re doing.” 

“What do you mean?” she replied innocently. “It was an honest question.” 

“Sure.” 

A moment of silence passed before Heather put her quill down with a sigh and blew a strand of long dark hair from her face. “It’s ridiculous, I need help.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Oran!” she said in a whisper as she leaned forward. “It was only supposed to be a drunken kiss! Well, a couple of drunken snogs actually. But now, here I am...” 

She trailed off, her cheeks tinged pink. 

“You like him!” Elara said. 

“No. I don’t.” 

“Oh, come on.” 

“I don’t! I mean, he’s a bit boring, isn’t he? A bit of a square, really.” 

“But?” Elara prompted, seeing Heathers embarrassed grimace. 

“Well, when he’s drunk, he’s actually really funny. We get on like a house on fire in fact. But I can’t only be with him when he’s drunk, can I?” 

“I mean you could, but it would be a really unhealthy relationship.” 

“Exactly.” 

Elara sighed at the dejected look on her friend's face. “Have you ever actually spent time alone with him. You know, just you two?” 

Heather thought for a moment before shaking her head with a shrug. “I guess not.” 

“Well, our group has some pretty big characters, doesn’t it? The twins and you, namely. He doesn’t really get a chance to shine when we’re all together.” 

“So, you’re saying I should go out on a date with him?” Heather asked. 

“Why not?” 

“But he hasn’t asked me out.” 

“Then ask him out.” 

“Oh, God,” Heather groaned loudly. “How sad! Me, asking out Oran Byrne.” 

“It’s 1995 Heather,” Elara said smartly. “We are women in our prime who know what we want. We don’t have to sit by and wait for a man to come and save us.” 

“Says the girl whose new life goal is to marry rich.” 

Elara glowered at her. “Just ask him out, what’s the worst that can happen?” 

“He could say no? And then the whole school hears that I was turned down by Oran Bryne?” 

“Given the fact he can’t take his eyes off you, I think that would be highly unlikely.” 

Heather blushed, her eyes darting back quickly to the corner of the room before meeting Elara’s. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll think about it.” 

Elara smiled widely at her and picked up her quill. Now that the boy talk was out of the way, she was determined to get through her Potions essay. 

Her well intentioned plans were short-lived however, when she spotted Fred coming towards their table, shrugging his jacket off as he grinned at her. She immediately threw the quill back down on the table causing Heather to look up with a frown. 

“Stop right there!” Heather said, holding her hand up at Fred who stopped suddenly, the smile vanishing from his face. “You are hereby banned from distracting Elara for the next hour.” 

“But she loves being distracted by me!” he moaned. 

“And that’s the problem, isn’t it? She has an essay due tomorrow, not to mention her Runes translations, the chapter she’s to read for History of Magic and her Herbology homework.” 

Elara pulled a sad-face at Fred who nodded solemnly. “I see. Well, I shall wait quietly for the next hour then.” 

Elara held her hand out as if reaching for him as he walked towards the fireplace. “I’ll come back for you my love!” she said dramatically. 

“I’ll wait until the end of time for you!” he cried as a few of the other students sniggered. 

Elara chuckled as she turned back to her homework, Heather rolling her eyes with an amused smile on her face. “You two dorks are made for each other.” 

“I know,” Elara grinned. 

Time with Fred turned out to be a good motivator, and for the next hour both Elara and Heather worked in silence, Elara occasionally glancing at the clock as she finished off her Potions essay. It wasn’t her best work granted, but she was only aiming for a pass in Snape’s class. She'd need a miracle to gain much else. She rolled up the parchment and ticked it off the to-do list in her homework planner with a feeling of satisfaction. 

“Would you look at that?” Heather said with a smirk. “Who would have thought some nookie would motivate you so much!” 

“Shut up.” 

“Have fun! Be safe!” Heather called to her loudly as she made her way over to Fred who was waiting for her with open arms. 

She gleefully jumped into his lap and kissed him as he wrapped his arms around her. 

“Get much done?” he asked as she burrowed herself into his shoulder. 

“A little.” 

“Hey,” he said, leaning back to force her to look at him. “I don’t want to have to face MacDougall’s wrath if you keep falling behind.” 

His brown eyes were wide as they looked at her. She ran a hand through his red hair and felt him shiver slightly under her touch. 

“I’m serious,” he said. “Buck up your ideas young lady.” 

She laughed and tugged at his hair playfully. “Not you too, please! Between the teachers, my mother and Heather, I don’t need someone else to constantly remind me of O.W.L.’s” 

He gave her a disapproving look and she offered her best smile, leaning into him so her lips were close to his ear. “Can’t you just be my escape?” she whispered. 

“Stop that,” he growled. 

She kissed just below his ear, feeling him tense up underneath her as she smirked. 

“Yes, absolutely,” he said relenting quickly. “I’ll be your escape. I’ll be whatever you want me to be in fact.” 

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around him and he grinned back at her. “You have me wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?” he said as she smiled innocently at him. 

* * *

It was April Fool’s Day, which meant it was also the birthday of Fred and George Weasley. Elara and Lee had worked together on a small celebration for them, commandeering a corner of the Common Room and hanging streamers and flashing ‘Happy Birthday’ signs on the wall. Elara sat with Heather, Nathan and Oran as they drank a Butterbeer together. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were there too, along with Angelina, Alicia, Katie and the twins. 

The noise earlier had earned them disapproving looks from their fellow Gryffindors, especially when Lee had brought out a birthday cake with candles that screamed the Happy Birthday song in a comically out of key fashion. Now, however, everyone was chatting and laughing quietly together as Elara drained the last of her Butterbeer and leaned back into her chair with a yawn. 

She looked over at Fred who was listening to Lee and Ron argue about Quidditch with a sleepy smile on his face before he glanced over at her. She gave him a small wave and a grin, and he looked back at her with such a content smile on his face, it made her stomach flip. 

He jerked his head towards his dorm and Elara happily put down her empty bottle, understanding his meaning. She quietly left her seat, leaving everyone to continue in their celebrations without them as she followed Fred and ignored the jeers of their friends, making their way to the boy's dorm. 

He entered the room, holding the door open behind him before he flopped down on to his bed with a sigh. Elara sat on the edge, kicking off her shoes before crawling in beside him as he wrapped an arm around her and she nestled herself into his shoulder, throwing an arm across his chest. 

“I am so tired,” she mumbled quietly. “This O.W.L workload has been too much.” 

He ran his fingers gently up and down her arm and she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest as they lay together. 

And in that moment, all of the happiness and contentment that had permeated her life over the last few months seemed to come sharply into focus. The feeling now crystal clear, filling her whole with a warmth and steady peace and she knew exactly what it meant. 

“Fred,” she said. She felt calm despite knowing the words she was about to speak, the weight that they would carry. But knowing also that they were true. 

“Hmm,” he mumbled drowsily. 

“I love you.” 

The words danced in the air before them, lingering for the briefest of quiet moments before Fred shifted his body to look at her, his eyebrows raised in a mild movement of surprise before he beamed. “I love you too.” 

He leaned forward to kiss her and it felt like home. A feeling that couldn’t be described by the bricks and mortar of buildings, or the furnishings or memories of a single place. But by the feeling of him; his arms around her, his lips on hers and his body pressed closed. 

They parted and held each other's gaze for a moment before Fred leaned back on the bed and let out a low laugh. 

“Fred Weasley,” she admonished, feeling herself blush. “I cannot believe you are ruining this moment by laughing at me!” 

“No, no!” he said quickly, twisting back to face her again. “I’m not laughing at you, I promise!” 

“That would maybe be a little more convincing if you would actually stop laughing.” 

“I’m sorry!” he chuckled. “I just can’t believe you said it first!” 

She glared at him as he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer along the bed. 

“You don’t understand,” he said. “I had all these grand plans! I thought, should I arrange a romantic dinner and tell her? Or a moonlit stroll? And then here we are, just laying here together and you say it, and it’s perfect! Who knew you were the true romantic?” 

She chuckled as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. 

“Been thinking about it for weeks as well,” he mused. 

“Weeks?” 

He blushed, the tips of his ears going red. “Well, more like months.” 

She stared back at him and could feel herself smile despite herself. “You’ve known for months?” 

“I’ve known since the day you asked me to poison Pansy Parkinson.” 

The joy that filled Elara felt golden and rich in her chest as she smirked at him. “So, it was my penchant for revenge that convinced you?” 

“Yep,” he nodded. “It also helps that you’re funny and smart and pretty. But it was your request for help targeting your mortal enemy that really convinced me that you were the girl for me.” 

She shook her head with a small smile. 

“I was going to ask you to the Yule Ball,” he continued, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, “but Nathan beat me to it. Seeing you arrive with him made me sick, I really thought I’d missed my chance. Then when I realised Nathan had screwed it up, I knew I had to go for it.” 

“So, the kiss at the Yule Ball was part of your plan after all,” she said as he nodded with smug look on his face. “What would you have done if my date with Nathan had gone well?” 

“Easy. I would have enacted an intricate and brilliant plan of sabotage against him of course.” 

“Well,” she said with a laugh, “thank God Nathan was a crummy date.” 

“Yes. Thank you Nathan,” he said before leaning forward to kiss her again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a lil short one and I'm sorry for the delay but Christmas prep had me hella busy. The next one will be the final chapter! But if you're interested in reading more don't worry, I have a whole new part 2 that I've been planning ;) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and if Christmas isn't what you hoped it would be this year then I'm thinking of you and wishing you all the best. 
> 
> Tumblr - ghostseaao3


	15. Star-Crossed

Screams were filling the air. The sounds of sobs and hysterical crying mingled with panicked cries to create an orchestra of terror. Elara gripped Fred’s arm tightly, straining to look over the crowd but terrified of what she might see. The crowd were jostling her, some trying to run forward whilst others were rooted to the spot in shock. 

“Oh my God,” she heard Fred whisper. 

“What is it?!” she asked panicked. “Is Harry ok? What’s happened?” 

“It’s Diggory.” 

But he needn’t say anymore, at that moment the crowd seemed to part giving Elara a perfect view of the area in front of the maze where the still, lifeless body of Cedric Diggory lay, his father clutching to the front of his shirt as he knelt over his dead son. 

* * *

The Common Room was busy but quiet, only the occasional whisper and sniffle daring to interrupt the morose atmosphere. Elara sat on one of the sofa’s, her elbow leaning on the arm with her hand supporting her head. Heather was sitting beside her, holding her other hand as they both stared out in front of them, lost in their own thoughts. 

Rumours and whispers had carried themselves throughout the castle, into every Common Room and every corridor, all of them fantastical, but one more terrifying than all the rest; that Lord Voldemort had returned. Elara’s head swam with the possibility, what it would mean for her, what it would mean for her family. For everyone. 

“My mum and dad can’t find out about this,” Heather said quietly. 

Elara turned her head to look at her. Her blue eyes were watery and her face paler than usual as she looked back at Elara. 

“They’re Muggles,” she said. “They’ve never understood this world. They try, sure, but it scares them. If they were to find out that a student died. If they knew why.” 

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “If he’s really back then how do I explain that to my parents? And how can they protect me? Sometimes I think they wished I was just a regular person and not a witch. You wouldn’t get this at a Muggle school.” 

Elara squeezed her hand and smiled sadly at her. “I’m glad you’re a witch.” 

Heather smiled back at her before they both fell back into silence, Elara’s eyes fixed on the notice board on front of them where she could make it the bold, colourful posters advertising Fred and George’s products. 

She wished Fred was here, but he was with his mother who had come to support Harry in the final task. How could it only have been an hour ago she had stood laughing with him in the stands, cheering in their Gryffindor colours. Elara remembered then that she still had ‘HP’ emblazoned across her cheeks. 

“I need to speak to Fred.” She spoke more to herself than Heather, verbalising something she had known since Voldemort’s name had reached her ears that night. Heather glanced at her with a look of sympathy and Elara was thankful that at least she seemed to understand. 

“My family,” Elara started, but she didn’t know exactly how to put it into words. 

“It’s like Romeo and Juliet,” Heather said knowingly. 

Elara frowned. “Romeo and Juliet?” 

“Jesus Christ,” Heather said rolling her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re not even taught Shakespeare. It’s only the most famous romantic story ever!” 

Elara only looked at her blankly. 

“It’s about two star-crossed lovers from rival families, kind of like you and Fred. Although it ends with a double suicide so maybe it’s not the best example.” 

“No, maybe not,” Elara said. “God, what were they teaching you Muggles in school.” 

Heather hit her on the arm playfully and Elara smiled. 

“What are you going to do?” Heather asked finally. 

Elara shook her head and sighed. It was all so complicated and unfair. How naïve of her to think that her family name wouldn’t play its role in the end. 

“You better think quick,” Heather said, nudging her, “here he comes now.” 

Elara looked up to see the Weasley twins enter the Common Room, whispers following as they strode towards them. George offered Heather and Elara a weak wave before making his way straight to the boy's dorm with his head down. Heather stood to give her seat to Fred, bidding them both goodnight too as she left, Fred throwing himself next to Elara with a sigh before leaning his head on her shoulder. She reached up to stroke his hair as they sat in silence. 

“How's your mother?” she asked. 

“Frantic,” he replied. “She’s waiting for Harry in the hospital wing now.” 

Elara nodded, trying not to let her mind linger on Harry, on how he must be feeling, the horrors he must have experienced. 

“So, it’s true then?” she whispered. 

She felt Fred’s head nod against her shoulder and her heart sank into the pits of her stomach. 

“I can’t believe this has happened.” 

He took her hand in his and held it as they sat in silence for a while, the Common Room slowly emptying around them. Elara wished she could never leave this moment. That they could prolong the inevitable by being here together at peace and alone, just the two of them, to escape the nightmare they found themselves in. 

“Fred,” she said after the last of the students had gone to bed. “We need to talk.” 

“That sounds ominous.” 

“It’s about my family,” she said, wishing she didn’t have to speak now, that they could remain sitting together in silence forever. 

He shook his head. “We don’t have to talk about this now.” 

“We do.” 

Perhaps it was something in her voice that caused Fred to sit up straight and look at her, his brown eyes betraying a glimmer of trepidation. She sighed and turned on the sofa to face him, crossing her legs under her. 

“Before, when You-Know-Who was powerful,” she said, “my parents didn’t declare themselves to a side in the war, but it was always clear who their allegiance was to. I don’t know how they got away with staying silent, but they did.” 

Fred looked down as she talked, his hands playing absentmindedly with the hem of her trousers. 

“This time though, I don’t know what’s going to happen. We both know where the Malfoy’s stand and my mum spends more time with them than ever before. And my dad, well he’s a Prince, he comes from money and pure-blood mania. It’ll be expected of him.” 

“What’s that got to do with us?” he asked, looking up at her. 

“Fred, your brother is best friends with Harry Potter. And it’s no secret that Harry spends most of his summer at your home. What will Lucius Malfoy say when he hears about me coming to The Burrow too? I don’t want to put you, your family or Harry in any type of danger.” 

“You think Mr Malfoy would use you to get to him?” 

She shrugged. “I have no idea. But it’s not a theory I want to test, do you?” 

He leaned back into the sofa, seemingly deep in thought before he turned his head to face her. “So, you’re saying you can’t come visit this summer?” 

She didn’t answer, her eyes dropping to her hands to avoid his stare. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She wished this conversation didn’t have to happen, that instead she could be curled up on the sofa with him again, with his fingers laced in hers and that feeling of familiarity that comes with being completely comfortable with a person. 

She could feel the sofa shift as he sat forward earnestly. “You’re not breaking up with me, are you?” 

She had no choice now but to look up at him to see him frown at her with panic in his eyes and a look of alarm on his face. 

“Our families are on different sides Fred,” she said quietly. She could feel tears stinging at her eyes and the lump in her throat made it difficult to talk. 

“But which side are you on?” 

“The side that keeps you, your family and Harry safe.” 

He exhaled through his nose and shook his head as if he couldn’t believe his bad luck. Elara swallowed back the lump in her throat and straightened her back, determined to do the right thing no matter how difficult it was. 

“It’s like that Romeo and Juliet, isn’t it?” he said finally. “Although that ended in a- 

“-double suicide, I know. Have you been speaking to Heather?” 

He smiled softly as he nodded. “I like her to tell me about the Muggle stories. Some of them are seriously weird.” 

Silence filled the space between them as she smiled sadly at him. How could she do this? How would she be able to throw away her own happiness? To cause him such sadness? 

As if sensing her thoughts, he grabbed both her hands in his and held them tightly. “Don’t do this,” he pleaded. 

Elara wished he wouldn’t look at her like that, that his touch didn’t feel so comforting, that all of this could be easier. 

“I don’t have any other choice.” 

“You do,” he said quickly, holding her hands even tighter, as if the stronger his grip, the less likely she would be able to drift away from him. “We can pretend.” 

She frowned at him. “What do you mean pretend?” 

The words came tumbling from his mouth, as if he couldn’t get them out quick enough. “We’ll pretend we’ve split up,” he said. “We’ll tell everyone we’re finished, but we’ll write to each other all summer. Then when we come back to school next year we’ll be safe again, here at Hogwarts, and we can continue on like normal.” 

“Fred,” she started but he cut her off. 

“Please, Elara.” 

The sound of her name on his lips stopped her for a second and reminded her of that soaring, high feeling in her chest the night they lay together in his dorm and she first told him she loved him. 

“You really think that would work?” she asked in a whisper, hardly daring to believe him. 

He nodded, a triumphant grin on his face at her response. “Yes,” he said emphatically. “We could even arrange secret meetings somewhere, I’ll sneak some Floo Powder and meet you wherever you want.” 

She couldn’t help but smile back, her heart racing with excitement at the thought of being with him in the summer, somewhere alone away from the world’s eyes. 

“You could only write to me at night,” she said. “I can’t have letters from you arriving when I’m sitting with mother at the breakfast table.” 

“I’ll make sure the owl only comes past dark, I’ll even address it to ‘Elara’s bedroom’ on the envelope. You just need to keep your window open.” 

“I can do that,” she grinned. 

An excited silence fell over the two of them and Elara chuckled at their brilliantly simple plan. 

“I love you Elara,” he said. 

“I love you too.” 

He leaned forward and kissed her, his hand cupping her cheek before snaking through her hair and resting at the back of her neck, his thumb stroking her jawline. 

“Now I get to be your little secret,” he whispered as they parted, his hand still resting on the side of her neck. “I told you I’d be into that.” 

She chuckled as he brought his lips back to hers. 

* * *

The final week of school brought with it bright, sunny days as if to taunt the sadness and fear within the castle walls. Or perhaps it was sent to remind the students of the joy and brightness that still existed within the world. Either way, it seemed out of place to Elara, but with exams over she found herself outside most days, basking in the sun with Heather by the Great Lake or walking through the grounds with their robes slung over their arm. 

She and Fred had decided it would be best to enact their plan now, to make it seem as if they had broken up before the summer holidays had begun. Only George and Heather knew the truth. Not that anyone was much interested, there were certainly bigger things to worry about than the break-up of a teenage couple. They would catch one another’s eye around the castle sometimes, Fred sometimes giving her a sly wink and her hiding the smile that crept up her face.

Yet despite it being a fake break up, Elara still felt a sense of sadness at the loss of her last week with Fred. She should have been enjoying the hot days with him too, listening to his plans for the summer and deciding when would be best for her to come visit. Instead, they both kept their distance, barely speaking when they saw one another, and no longer sitting together in the Great Hall during mealtimes. She already felt his loss keenly and she still had a whole summer to go. 

And it wasn’t only Fred she found herself avoiding. The Hogwarts rumour mill was in full swing and the stories of what could have happened that night in the maze were wilder than the truth. She found herself wanting to believe them however, desperate to accept that Harry was an attention seeking sociopath, that his fantastical story of the return of the Dark Lord was in fact a cover story for what really happened that night. But she couldn’t listen to any more of it. Whilst she only knew Harry distantly, she knew he wasn’t lying, and as Dumbledore stood up in the Great Hall on the night of the final feast to raise his glass to Harry, she followed suit, believing them both completely. 

It was when the feast was over and they were all walking back to the Common Room that she felt someone gently tug on her hand from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see Fred indicating for her to follow him. Heather walked ahead, understanding without Elara having to say anything and Elara cast her eyes quickly around her before sneakily following Fred down an empty side corridor. 

“Do you remember this corridor?” he whispered as she stood in front of him. 

She looked around, straining her eyes in the darkness and feeling a tug of familiarity in her mind. 

“Our first kiss,” she grinned. 

“The day you couldn’t keep your hands off me and practically had me up against a wall.” 

She laughed, “You wish, Weasley.” 

“Yeah, I do,” he smirked before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. “I have something for you.” 

She took the box from his outstretched hand and opened it, a laugh escaping her lips. It was a small ornate butterfly that glittered blue, its metal wings softly fluttering just like a real butterfly would as it rested amongst some Weasley Wizard Wheezes sweet wrappers. 

“Originally I was going to get you one of the same butterflies that Elsa Troyer had used in her hair,” he explained. “That was an interesting conversation, let me tell you. I couldn’t tell her why I was so interested in where she bought her hair products, so I think she genuinely thought I was after them for myself. She was quite adamant that blue wouldn’t be my colour, the cheeky git.” 

She ran a finger over the cold metal wing. 

“Anyway, I thought I’d get you something a bit more permanent and meaningful than a hair clip. Do you like it?” 

She grinned up at him. “I love it Fred. It’s perfect.” 

“I’d have preferred to have given you a photo of me with a sort of scowl on my face that you could keep beside your bed. That way if any new boys come along looking for a summer fling with you, you’d have my disapproving face to look at every night.” 

“This is much more romantic.” 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “And I am a romantic at heart.” 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, having to stand on her tip toes to do so. “I’m going to miss you this summer.” 

She couldn’t do anything to stop the tears coming this time at the thought of two months away from Fred and her friends that had made her fifth year at Hogwarts her best one yet. He wiped a tear from her cheek as he smiled softly. “I’ll find a way to see you. And I’ll write all the time, I promise.” 

She nodded and pressed her lips to his, kissing him for the last time before the long uncertain summer that lay ahead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's the end of part one already! Thank you so much to everyone who commented, gave kudos or just read quietly. I appreciate every single one of you. I'm working on the second part right now and should have it up fairly soon. 
> 
> In the meantime I hope you all had a wonderful start to your 2021 and I wish you all nothing but health and happiness this year. Here's to you x
> 
> Tumblr - ghostseaao3


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